DarkJewels
by Raksha
Summary: Two girls, born in Kaeleer just before Jaenelle Purged the Blood, were sent to live in our reality. Now that it is safe, they are summoned to take their place as Queens. Better summary inside. CHAPTER 14! I HAVE HEREBY UPDATED MY WORK WITHIN A YEAR!
1. Chapter One

Summary: Two girls, born in Kaeleer in just before Jaenelle Purged the impure Bloods, were sent to live in our reality with their father, who turned out to be anything but what he seemed. Now that everything is safe, they are being summoned back to take their place as Queens. But did life under their father change them past even Jaenelle's power to heal?   
Rating: R. Mature themes and violence.   
Disclaimer: I am not Anne Bishop, so I in no way own the rights to the Dark Jewels Trilogy, The Invisible Ring, any short stories, or work she may accomplish in the future. Should you choose to sue me, you will receive my lunch money (a dollar fifty) and the court bill. 

*Blabla * means thoughts sent to another 

AN: Okay, this is my premiere story, so be gentle. I'll cherish compliments, appreciate constructive criticism, and ignore flames altogether. And if you catch me on a bad day, I'll probably flame back! ^.^   
Enjoy!

  
*************************** Chapter One ********************************* 

It was a picturesque day in the small, quiet town of Spidercreek. The sky was a bright, cloudless blue and the sun shone down on them brightly. Everyone was outside, enjoying one of the last warm fall days in the park, or by the pool, or something equally nice. 

A young woman, around eighteen or so, with long, midnight black hair pulled back in a tight braid that fell to the middle of her back and brooding black eyes stood with her arms crossed, staring into the distance. Her slim body, hard and toned through years of pain and suffering, was stiff as she waited at attention, not taking a moment's rest. Her black, long-sleeved coat fluttered against the back of her calves as the wind blew gently. 

In the park, children laughed and ran around, innocently oblivious to all of life's dangers. All but one blond girl, who was laughing and playing with the best of them. Her bright blue eyes carried a little bit of dark knowledge that was easily discarded in the warm fall day. 

The little girl turned suddenly, feeling something strange and alien brush against her mind. The carefree happiness slowly drained from her eyes as she frowned, trying to feel where it had come from. Then her sister was there, placing a heavy, reassuring hand on her shoulder as she, too, extended her mind to find the psychic thread. 

*I can't find it, * she said at last. *We should leave now, Talia, if you are finished playing. * 

The little girl grinned up at the tough, somber-looking woman. *Yes, Tori. I'm finished. Can we stop for some ice cream, though? * 

Tori looked down at her young sister and felt a little of her habitual scowl vanish. It was just too difficult to stay cold when she looked at her like that. *All right. But then we need to head to the house. I still have a lot of work to do. * 

Talia cheered, ignoring the curious glances she got from the other kids. She raced off for the ice cream parlor, leaving the tall, dark-haired young woman to stare after her sister in harried amusement. Tori followed slowly, her amusement disappearing as she glanced back over her shoulder at the playground where she had sensed the light, expert touch against Talia's psychic walls. For a moment, before it had vanished, she thought it felt familiar. The dark, exotic brush had made her shiver with something not quite fear, not quite anticipation, but something in the middle. 

Tori shook her head and went to find her charge, eager to finish the work she had to do on the house. Whatever it was could wait. 

  
"Oh, do I have to?" Talia complained, looking at the books in distaste. 

"Yes," Tori replied firmly, not even looking up from her hidebound workbook as she carefully measured out the right proportions. "This might save your life one day, Talia. Learn it. Master it." 

With a sigh, Talia opened the book, knowing she wouldn't win this battle. "I don't see why I need to learn this. You'll be there for me when I need you. Besides, I like making healing potions better than learning power attacks." 

"I noticed," Tori responded dryly. "I'll make you a deal, Li. Study the attacks for an hour, show me what you've learned, and you can use the rest of the day to play in your garden." 

Talia smiled her victory. "Thank you, Tori!" 

Tori smiled and let out a breath of relief as silence fell. She needed to concentrate on mixing the herbs together correctly, or else she could do some serious damage to their living room. 

Practicing Craft was the only time Tori almost completely let down her guard and relaxed. Mostly because she needed to look calm and completely in control when she taught her darling sister and handled the great amounts of power within her own jewels. When the truth was, all she had to go by were a couple of old, worn Craft books and her intuition. There was a lot she didn't know, yet. 

"Finished!" Talia announced precisely one hour later, the hourglass beside her vanishing. 

Tori carefully crystallized the web she had just finished, shrunk it to fit in her palm, and vanished it. She turned to her sister expectantly, smiling slightly as she drew herself up, gathering a little bit of her power from the green jewel hanging from the simple silver chain around her neck. 

Talia held out her right hand, palm up, and stared at it intently. Her Birthright jewel flashed once and began to pulsate, gradually growing stronger. A green swirl began to take shape in the center of her palm. As it grew larger, it gave off small sparks of lightening that never went further than an inch past her hand. More power was fed to the small whirlpool and it took the form of a globe, trapping the lightening inside. 

"Good," Tori murmured, not wanting to distract her right then. "Now, concentrate it into a tiny, tiny dot. 

Talia gulped and sweat popped out on her forehead, but slowly the globe shrank and the lightening became brighter, more powerful. Each inch it shrunk, the whiter the globe grew, until there was no green left whatsoever and all that she was holding was caged death. 

Tori called in her own globe, although this one held no power, since it was made purely for containment. It was clear, laced with veins of dark gray from _her_ Birthright jewel, the Ebon-Gray. Sending a silent command, the globe lifted from her hand and floated over to hover beside Talia's ball before seeming to absorb the ball into itself. 

Talia relaxed, wiping the sweat from her brow, looking pleased despite her exhaustion. She had every right to be. Witch Lightening wasn't an easy thing to create. She looked at her sister's dark globe as it continued to hover in the air in front of her, and sincerely prayed that she would never have to use the Lightening she had created against another being. She had seen it in action before, only once but it was enough. The things it did to a person… Witch Lightening didn't just stop with electrocution. When it struck a person's body, it liquefied their internal organs in under a heartbeat. It destroyed all mental barriers and shattered their Chalice, leaving nothing, **nothing**, that could be used to make the transition to demon dead. When Witch Lightening hit you, you died instantly, but in so much pain, you were grateful to return to the Darkness. 

Shaking away such thoughts, Talia reached up, touched the globe, and watched as the ebon-gray faded into her green. The containment globe was now hers, and she vanished it. 

"Anything else?" Tori asked as Talia tried to slip away. 

Talia turned back, grinning sheepishly. "Oh, yeah. Um…this." 

Once more she held out her hands, only this time they were palm down. Talia, like Tori, kept her nails long, otherwise, the snake's tooth beneath her right ring finger would be exposed, raising many questions. Briefly concentrating, Talia pushed power into those nails, making them longer and as sharp and hard as steel blades. What looked like black-purple paint shined on the end of each finger. 

"What'd you use?" Tori asked, gesturing to the polish. 

"Well, at first, I tried using the same poison I drink for my venom sac, but it wouldn't keep. So then I waited until I had to milk it, mixed it with some herbs that prolonged potency of poisons, and **voila**!" 

"How long does it last?" Tori asked. 

"Since I don't actively use it until my nails sharpen, I don't really know. At least seven hours." 

"A very nice way of mixing things you **do** like with the ones you don't," Tori praised. "Okay, I'm satisfied. Now, go. I want to finish up a few more webs before I start dinner." 

Talia, blushing with pride at her sister's complement since she didn't give them easily, nodded and hurried off to the backyard. Her stomach rumbled eagerly. Tori usually abstained from cooking, but when she did… Again her stomach growled, and her mouth watered. There was no better cook than Tori anywhere.

  
*******Okay, here's chapter one. I've already gotten the second one halfway finished and it should explain more. I know I've left a lot of things out, but that's only because I'm waiting for the right time. You know the drill. You've read, now it's time for reviews! I'll reiterate what I've posted up top. Please don't flame. I don't like it, and when I find you, you won't like it either. ^,^ (kidding)******* 


	2. Chapter Two

Summary: Two girls, born in Kaeleer in just before Jaenelle Purged the impure Bloods, were sent to live in our reality with their father, who turned out to be anything but what he seemed. Now that everything is safe, they are being summoned back to take their place as Queens. But did life under their father changer them past even Jaenelle's power to heal?   
Rating: R. Mature themes and violence.   
Disclaimer: I am not Anne Bishop, so I in no way own the rights to the Dark Jewels Trilogy, The Invisible Ring, any short stories, or work she may accomplish in the future. Should you choose to sue me, you will receive my lunch money (a dollar fifty) and the court bill. 

means thoughts sent to another 

AN: I know things have been a little crazy with me taking chapters on and off all the time! I'm computer illiterate and a perfectionist when it comes to my stories. My eternal and undying thanks to DejaVu, for helping me code my work so it's readable. And to Icia, who was willing to!  
Enjoy!

  
*************************** Chapter Two ********************************* 

Dinner was eaten in silence, broken only a few times by Talia. It wasn't until they were washing dishes that Talia managed to bring information out of her stubbornly closed-mouthed sister. 

"What kind of webs were you making?" Talia asked, rinsing and drying a plate absently. 

"Several," Tori said, looking down into the soapy water, her hands scrubbing the pot mechanically. "Two Ebon-Gray tangled webs and three blood webs." 

Talia's eyes widened. "Blood webs! Why? Have you seen any trouble lately?" 

"No," Tori admitted. "But that presence at the park…worries me. In all our time living here, there has only been one other person that possessed enough power and knowledge to do that. Add to that the skill with which they handled it, and even that person couldn't have done it, even if he wasn't dead." Tori shook her head. "My instincts are telling me I am going to need all the weapons I can Craft." 

"I'll Craft some tonight," Talia said, her expression grim. "Will there be enough time?" 

Tori nodded, drying her hands as she passed the last cup to her sister. "There should be. Whoever it is most likely wont try anything until tomorrow. Just the same…I think you should stay with me tonight." 

Talia looked relieved that Tori had offered. "I will, thank you. Are you going now?" 

Tori glanced up at the dark sky. "Yes. You can construct your webs in the living room or my room, it makes no difference to me." 

"Your room," Talia said instantly. "I'll change and gather my things." 

Tori nodded and left the room. Talia dried her hands and vanished, reappearing in her room. Quickly she slipped out of her overalls and stepped into the shower. Five minutes later she was out and in her long, black silken nightgown, walking across the hall into the master bedroom. 

The master bedroom was huge, easily twice the size of Talia's. Not that she really minded, Tori needed the space for the large worktable and shelves that held her herbs and books. Glancing over to the giant bed, Talia wasn't too surprised to see that Tori was not in it. Instead, her sister sat in the corner to the right of the bed, where a giant, pulsing web hung, an uncut Ebon-Gray jewel locked in the center. Her hands moved over the delicate strands of the tangled web. Talia knew, even though Tori sat with her back to her, that she had changed. She was no longer the cold, tough, distant woman who loved and protected her. She was a Dream Weaver, trying to find which path they were to follow and what obstructions were in their way. 

Knowing she wouldn't be finished for quite some time, Talia sat down at the table and began the intricate, deadly art of weaving attack webs. 

When she was finally finished, Tori was still sitting at the web, so Talia crawled into bed alone. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought of how much things had changed in just six months. Six months ago, she wouldn't feel so safe going to sleep with Tori deeply involved in her tangled web. Of course, six months ago, Tori would be spitting up blood on the basement floor, not being absorbed in her power. 

Her last thought before slipping into a deep sleep was the same as it was every night, and yet it still hadn't lost its wonder. 

_We're free._

Sometime much later, Talia half-woke when the mattress shifted and Tori finally came to bed. She smiled sleepily and turned towards her, snuggling and adding her body heat to warm her sister. 

Morning came far too soon for Tori, and she glared hatefully at the bright sun that seemed to find ways through the thick black drapes that hung over the windows. She could hear Talia downstairs, already up and making breakfast. 

Her gut tightened. 

Images from last night, both from the tangled web and her dream, danced through her mind. Neither of them made much sense. Her dream, though, was the clearer of the two, as it usually was. 

She remembered that she was standing on the edge of something. From the way she had been standing, Tori was guessing it was a roof of some sort. It was dark, and she could see the moon out of the corner of her eye. There was someone behind her, she could smell him as the wind blew his scent around her, and sense his jewel. The Black. For some reason, the dream version of her didn't seem surprised. If anything, she was grateful for his company. Below her, she could see a type of open courtyard and all the interweaving jewel colors that twisted and coiled around each other. Then the dream faded and she slipped into the darkness of her abyss. 

The web, now, was a little bit more difficult to discern. It showed her that changes, huge, monumental changes, were coming for both Tori and her sister. And depending on her reaction, the changes could mean a new start without the pain and constant vigilance, or it could mean destruction. Destruction of whom, she could not see. But either way, the change would happen soon. No later than tonight, if she had read things correctly. But there were shadows in the web that concerned her. Shadows of the past. Shadows that sought to annihilate her and Talia. Shadows that would shatter her Chalice, if she wasn't strong enough. 

Tori shook off her thoughts as Talia called up to her for breakfast. She wouldn't tell her sister quite yet, of what she had seen. But they would pack, and ready themselves for what was to come. 

Downstairs, they ate quickly, each eager to continue their work. Tori had to repair the hole on the roof where the last storm had blown off the boards she had put up until she got the right supplies. Now that she did, she was planning on fixing the hole, then a pipe that had busted down in the basement. After she finished that, there was still the entire guest bedroom that needed to be emptied of unwanted belongings that she didn't want Talia to go through. 

The day passed quickly and Tori decided to use their lunch break to collect their things and take her uncut jewel fro the tangled web. Everything that was needed was packed, and then vanished. 

As Tori headed back outside, she was suddenly grateful she did this when she felt the dark, powerful essence from the park roll towards them in a wave. Talia let out a small, frightened squeak before dashing to Tori's side. Bracing herself for an attack, Tori called in her staff and prepared to fight. 

But it never came, and the dark psychic wind rushed over them as gently as a soft breeze. Still, Tori remained tensed and waited as it seemed to solidify around them and change into a column of black mist that seemed to lift them. It got suddenly hard to focus, and Tori had to struggle to keep alert. Beside her, Talia was holding her head in her hands looking vaguely sick. 

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped, and Talia felt the magical force of the psychic wind leave them. Wind, real wind, rushed through her hair as Tori fell. Looking down, she noticed that she and Talia were only a few feet above the ground. Reacting quickly, she formed the imaged of secure ground under their feet, pushed power into it, and stopped their rapid descent some three feet off the ground. 

Talia looked around as she formed her own invisible platform, swallowing nervously. She stayed close to her sister as they lowered themselves to the ground, both of them gazing around warily. 

There was a small group of people standing a little bit in front of them. It was a strange assortment of people. Some had huge, black wings that she remembered from her readings as Eyriens. And a few, not many, with pointy ears and long hunting bows. But it was the elderly looking woman who stood a little bit apart from the others that really caught her eye. She looked… No, Talia thought to herself. It couldn't be. She had to be seeing things, because if this woman really was who she looked like… Talia stole a look over at her sister, and saw that Tori had seen the woman. She swallowed thickly as the first brush of cold rage brushed against her arms. 

So it was true, she thought, looking back at the woman. This was Lyra Evasil. Their mother. 

By the time they had landed, Tori had withdrawn deeply enough into the cold rage that the grass instantly froze. She kept it tightly controlled, so it gave them no clue that she was upset. But looking upon her mother, the one who had given her over to that monster of a father, it was almost too much to bare. 

"Welcome to Kaeleer," a feminine, midnight voice said, breaking the tense silence. 

Tori glanced over at the woman walking towards them and shivered, immediately forgetting her pervious anger with her mother. The deep, blue eyes held wisdom of countless generations and power beyond all possibility. Witch, her mind whispered. 

"Lady," Tori murmured, nodding slightly. 

There was a kind of choked sob before Lyra ran at them, reaching out to embrace hr two children. Tori's anger returned in full force, and this time, she made no move to hide it from them. She watched as it swept over her mother, drying the tears that had started to fall and freezing her in mid-run. 

Satisfied when her mother only blinked at her in confusion, Tori turned back to Witch. "You called," she said dryly. 

Jaenelle pursed her lips. "Your mother asked that I bring you home now that everything has settled down." 

Her unspoken message was clear. She was being rude. Tori chose to ignore the unspoken reprimand. She glanced down to see Talia gazing at her mother curiously, but staying firmly by her side. 

*Go on,* Tori sent gently. *She is your mother.* 

Talia glanced up at her timidly. *No. I'll still be here, Li.* 

Talia didn't need any further encouragement. She walked up to her mother, who was staring at Tori as though she couldn't fathom what had brought on this sudden bought of anger. Her heart racing, Talia looked up at her mother and waited patiently until she looked down. 

"Hello mother," Talia said politely. 

Lyra knelt down, tears falling down her cheeks. "Oh, my little baby. My little Talia. You've grown up so much!" 

With that said, Lyra pulled her daughter into a big huge and cried harder. Talia closed her eyes and breathed deeply, feeling a part of her that she hadn't even known existed calm and become content. This was what she had been needing for so very long. She wanted her mother. 

Tori watched impassively as the two embraced. She felt Talia's joy at finding what she hadn't even known she had lost. Looking at her mother, Tori saw a fierce, protective flame dancing in her eyes, magnified by the tears. She wouldn't let her go again. 

After a few minutes, they drew apart, wiping away tears and smiling. When Lyra looked back over at Tori, the look she was given was enough to stop her from trying the same thing. Once again, Tori turned her attention to Witch. 

"Is this it, or was there something of importance?" She asked, crossing her arms. "Because I need to finish my chores back at the house, and there's still-" 

"Seeing your mother after eleven years of being apart isn't of importance?" Jaenelle asked incredulously. 

Tori gave no reaction to the outburst. "You should be directing that question to Talia, Lady. I claim no mother." 

Lyra gave a sort of muffled cry of pain, as if the words had been a physical blow. Tori felt Talia's mental reproof, and shrugged it off easily. She looked back to find Lyra collapsed on the ground, looking as though she had been mortally wounded. The wave of anger came from an unexpected member. Tori looked up to see a man storming over, looking about ready to kill. She glanced at his hand and saw the Black stone flashing with fire. 

"You would not say such things," he growled, kneeling down to scoop Lyra up close to him, "if you knew what she has been through." 

Tori's temper exploded. "What _she_ has been through?" She demanded, raking her gaze across the man's body in an obviously degrading way. "Yes. I can see the _hardships_ she's suffered. Who couldn't see the _scars_!" 

*Tori!* 

Tori turned wild eyes on her little sister, clamping her lips around the angry words. 

*Calm down,* Talia soothed gently. *Ease back, and think rationally. You'll end up giving away things you might not want to if you don't.* 

Tori took a deep breath, nodding slightly. Talia was right. Normally she was in perfect control, but seeing Lyra had brought some ugly memories to the surface. Ones she had to keep buried, no matter what. 

"What could I have done to deserve this?" Lyra whispered, gazing up at her elder daughter. 

Tori looked down at the woman, her face a cold, blank mask, and said nothing. She let her eyes swirl with the darkness that was inside of her, and let her know that it was all…her…fault.

  
************ Okay, this is the next installment. I have two ways I can take this, but I need reviews. Let me know how much it sucks, okay? ************ 


	3. Chapter Three

  
Disclaimer: Have never, will never. 

*blabla* means thoughts sent to another 

*************************** Chapter Three ****************************** 

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Talia murmured, looking back and forth between her sister and her mother. She glanced up at the sky. "And it's getting dark. Tori, you can argue with…Mother later. We need to get going." 

Talia darted a glance up at her mother, not sure how the woman would react to her saying that name out loud. She smiled down at her, eyes full of love, and Talia let her concern drift away. Mother… It was such a foreign word to her, since she had never used it, or heard it said unless Father had been cursing her. Or Tori. 

She listened grimly as Jaenelle invited them back to SaDiablo Hall for the night. Talia sighed, knowing Tori would argue this until the sun rose. There was no way she would stay in the same house as Mother. 

"Okay," Tori replied simply. 

Talia stared at her sister in surprise. She had…agreed? She watched her sister closely, then smiled at how she was studiously avoiding her gaze. Tori had wanted Talia to be able to spend some time with her mother, if she wished. 

Her smile vanished in the next moment. So, she thought to herself, it had begun. She was already being pulled in two directions, and neither her sister nor her mother knew a thing about it, because neither of them was trying. The battle was one she fought against herself. One the one hand, the longer she found herself around her mother, the more she wanted to stay with her. She yearned for loving, comforting arms. Open affection. Things Tori wasn't able to give. But, on the other hand, she needed to feel safe. She _needed_ the security of knowing someone was always watching her back and that she could trust them with her life. And it was obvious, even to Talia, that her mother was no fighter. She would try, valiantly, and fail. Tori would not. 

"How far away is it?" Tori asked, frowning deeply as she noticed Talia withdraw into her thoughts. 

Jaenelle smiled. "Very far, if you plan to walk. But we'll be taking the Winds." 

Tori refrained from asking about the Winds, knowing she would see them soon enough. As they started moving, she watched as Talia seemed torn about who to walk beside. Glancing at the man that walked with Lyra, and the one on her other side, Tori nodded to herself, knowing that they possessed enough strength to protect her if they were attacked. Fixing their psychic patterns in her mind, she also secured that if Talia was hurt by them, she would be able to find them no matter where they had gone. That settled, she quickened her pace and walked away from the small group. 

Without really meaning to, she found herself walking beside Jaenelle. She could feel the subtle, light probes as they skimmed over her first barrier, not trying to get through, but trying to understand. Tori waited, not objecting but not encouraging either. She endured as Witch skimmed over the half-healed wounds of her mind, and slowly put together the pieces of information that floated around in there. She endured, because she knew that if she tried to hide from her, blocked out the delicate probes, then she would be forbidden to enter SaDiablo Hall with Talia. 

"It is not her fault," Jaenelle said softly, the probes vanishing. 

Tori frowned, knowing she had reached a decision about her, but unable to discern what. "She should never have sent us away." 

"It was dangerous here, before the Purge. You would have been subjected to things…very bad things." A darkness filled Jaenelle's eyes that was achingly similar to Tori's own. "She didn't know about _him_." 

Tori scowled blackly. "She bedded him. Twice." Her scowl lessened reluctantly as thoughts-memories-reasserted themselves. 

"But…" Jaenelle prodded, seeing her reconsider a little. 

Tori sighed. "But he was a two-faced bastard. The nicest, most caring man you'll ever meet in public." 

"Was?" Jaenelle inquired lightly. 

Tori's scowl vanished completely as her lips curled in a fierce, dangerous smile. "Yes. He's dead now." 

Jaenelle reached up to fluff her hair, frowning as she thought. "I'm pretty sure Papa hasn't said anything about him becoming demon dead." 

Tori's smile grew. "He didn't." 

"Oh." Jaenelle dropped the topic, although she looked as if she wanted to find out how she had done it, and stopped in front of a small platform. 

Tori hissed in a soft breath, staring at all the interweaving jewel colors that shimmered like spider webs caught in the morning light. Her dream. But no, that wasn't right. She had been looking down on it, and a quick glance around showed that there were no houses. 

"This is a Landing Web," Jaenelle explained to Talia and Tori. "Um…this is kind of hard for me to explain. Papa?" 

Tori watched the man that had yelled at her before step up beside Jaenelle. "The Landing Webs are places where you can access the Winds, which are psychic roads in the darkness that take you from one place to the other." 

Talia perked up. 

Tori nodded slightly. 

Talia returned her attention to the man. 

"There is a Web for each of the Jewels," he continued. "You can travel along your rank or higher. If you try going on a darker one, the effects will be…unpleasant." 

Talia looked confused. "What's so hard about explaining that?" 

The man grinned suddenly. "Finally, a female who understands!" 

Jaenelle made a face. "I see things a bit differently. To me, they're all a tangled mess, with no separation. And the shadows they make…" 

Tori saw the males shudder and smirked, before returning her attention to the Landing Web. Jaenelle was right, she thought. There were shadows. Tori scowled deeply, staring into the shadows of the Winds. It almost seemed…as though something was moving. But that couldn't be right. Could it? 

"You do have your Birthright jewels, don't you?" Jaenelle asked, pausing suddenly as she turned to step onto the platform. 

Talia nodded, calling in her green Jewel necklace. Tori, deciding not to bring in her large Ebon-Gray necklace, called in her Ebon-Gray studded ring. She watched in amusement as the man that stood next to Jaenelle seemed to pale. 

"You've made the Offering already?" He asked, his voice unsteady. 

Tori blinked at him. "What's the Offering?" 

"Mother Night," the man groaned, his legs giving out. 

"Papa? Papa!" Jaenelle called shaking his arm. When she got no reaction, she punched him. "Saetan!" 

The man looked up blearily. "Don't make me train her, witch-child. Please?" 

"I don't understand," Jaenelle said plaintively. "Train who?" 

"Her," Saetan said, pointing to Tori. "She wears Birthright Ebon-Gray." 

"_Oh_…" 

"Is there a problem with that?" Talia asked, just a bit defensively. 

"Well, I think Papa's worried that teaching Tori would be like teaching me all over again." Jaenelle smiled fondly at her father. "Poor Papa almost didn't make it through it sane." 

Saetan climbed to his feet wearily. "Sometimes I wonder, witch-child, if I really did." 

Jaenelle giggled. Talia grinned. Tori scowled even more deeply. 

"I don't need training," Tori said, crossing her arms and glaring down at the man. "Especially not from you." 

"When you make the Offering after your Virgin Night, you'll come into a lot of power," Saetan explained patiently. "You'll need to know how to handle it." 

The air instantly filled with a biting cold and the ground and nearby trees were covered in ice. Tori looked at Saetan with eyes gone completely black, and he took a shaky breath, steeling himself for an attack. 

"Virgin Night?" Tori asked, her voice deceptively quiet compared to the rolling thunder just behind her words. 

"Don't," snarled a deep, midnight voice, bringing a cold that rivaled her own. 

The others looked on as the two snarling Queens engaged in a stare-down, both angry and willing to fight. 

Talia grew worried, both for her sister and Jaenelle. If Tori decided to push the fight, Jaenelle would win, but not without shattering her Chalice and destroying this entire Realm. Taking a deep breath, Talia sent herself forward, disappearing and reappearing directly in between Tori and Jaenelle. She hovered in the air a bit, until her was tall enough to look her sister directly in the eyes. 

*Tori,* Talia called, reaching out to touch the side of her face gently. 

Tori struggled for control, closing her eyes to concentrate on Talia. When she opened her eyes again, the cold had vanished and Talia stood there looking vaguely annoyed. 

*You're not going to make our stay here easy, are you?* Talia asked in resignation. 

*Sorry?* Tori suggested, not sounding a bit apologetic. *They seem to have a knack at hitting all the wrong buttons.* 

*Yeah,* Talia agreed. 

Tori sighed. *All right. I'll make a supreme effort not to kill anyone during our stay.* 

Talia grinned happily. *Thank you!* 

"We should go now," Talia said, turning to look at Jaenelle. "Before anything else comes up." 

Jaenelle nodded. "When we get to the Hall, Tori, I will need to speak with you," Witch said. 

Tori grunted softly and stepped onto the platform with Talia at her side. Jaenelle stood beside and Tori watched as she gathered up the Green-Jeweled Wind and wrapped it around them. Then they were off, pulled into another place. Tori looked all around them at the lines of Wind. Above her she could see the Opal Wind running the exact same course, and above that were the rest of the lighter Jewel colors. Below her was the Sapphire Wind and the darker jewels. 

She saw all of that in less than a moment, and then they were out, standing before a large gray stone castle that oozed with Black power. Talia stared at it, wide-eyed, and unafraid. Jaenelle looked at them, gauging their reactions. Tori stared at the monumental building for another moment before turning to the Jaenelle. 

"Your father, Saetan, did all of this?" Tori asked skeptically. 

Jaenelle nodded, leading the way up the steps. "Yes. He _is_ the High Lord of Hell. I think you should keep that in mind, Tori. He wears the Black, which is stronger than you right now." 

Tori made a noncommittal noise as she continued to gaze around, too deep in her own thought to pay much attention. As they climbed the stairs, she looked up, once again remembering her dream. Yes. This was the right place, and the Web behind her was the one she had been staring at so intently. 

The large door opened just as they approached, revealing a Red-Jeweled Warlord Prince playing the role of a butler. 

"Lady," he murmured his greeting. 

"Good evening, Beale," Jaenelle smiled. "Would you mind telling Mrs. Beale that we are having two others for dinner?" 

"Yes, Lady," Beale said, politely nodding to Talia and Tori before he left. 

Jaenelle turned to Talia. "Papa and Lyra should be arriving any moment now, Talia. If you want, you can wait for them in the library." 

"You have a library?" Talia asked, her eyes lighting up. "Where?" 

"Beale will show you the way," Jaenelle said, seeing the butler returning, rather out of breath. She turned to Tori. "This way." 

Talia hesitated, nibbling on her lower lip worriedly, until Tori nodded to her. Reluctantly, she followed Beale, glancing over her shoulder as she left. 

Tori followed Jaenelle into a large, comfortable living area. It was so far from what she had expected, that she stood in the doorway for a moment while Jaenelle curled up in a plush, high-backed chair. Tori looked from the other chair beside her to the couch on the other side of the table. She took the couch after a moment's debate, thinking she might need the distance if Jaenelle decided to attack. 

"You know," Jaenelle began, tilting her head at Tori consideringly. "You and Daemon would make great friends." 

Tori held her tongue, biting back the retort that she didn't want friends. Not knowing anything positive to say to that, she waited, watching the woman in front of her carefully. 

Looking slightly unnerved by her silence, Jaenelle doggedly continued. "He's prickly too, but not nearly so much as Lucivar. As a matter of fact, I think you would get on great with both of them." 

This time, Tori couldn't stop her harsh comments. "I'm not here to make friends, Lady. My only concern is Talia. I'll do my duty while you do yours. If you don't bother me, I won't bother you." 

Strangely enough, Jaenelle seemed to warm to her at that. "Your duty? If Talia's a burden to you, we would be glad to keep her." 

Tori snarled, her hands clenching into fists. "The only way Talia's getting rid of me is when *she* says she doesn't want me by her side." 

The mood shifted suddenly, and Tori watched as the eyes shifted from summer-sky to midnight blue. She was no longer talking to Jaenelle. She was speaking with Witch. 

"Why do you hate your mother so?" Witch asked gently. 

Tori's expression hardened. "Why is this so important to you, Witch?" 

"I need to know how deep your loyalty lies with the child Talia." 

Tori looked away, studying the wallpaper on the far wall. "I would give my life for hers," she said softly. "And shatter my mind if it meant she was kept safe." 

"Why?" Witch pressed, forcing her gaze back to her. 

"She is my sister," Tori said between gritted teeth as she struggled not to loose her temper. 

"That's not the only reason." 

Tori's temper snapped and her eyes blazed black. "It is none of your concern!" 

"Wrong," Witch said, power rolling through the room like thunder. When Tori seemed to once again regain control over her anger, she continued. "There was another reason for summoning you two here. Trouble is coming, and I won't be strong enough to beat it alone." 

"What kind of trouble?" Tori asked cautiously, not wanting to get drawn in, but having the sickening feeling that she already was. 

Jaenelle stood. "Come. I'll show you the tangled web." 

Tori stood as well, and in the next moment, they were in another room. She shivered at the feel of the power that saturated the walls. It was the dark, masculine scented power of the High Lord's Black. No. This was even darker, and had a distinctly feminine feel to it. 

Jaenelle led Tori to a corner of the room silently, where a giant tangled web stood, fastened by a jewel darker than the Black. It took Tori a moment of staring at the jewel to place its name. Ebony. An uncut Ebony Jewel, to be precise. 

"Look," Witch said, pointing to the web. 

Tori obeyed, looking into the tangled web. As she opened her mind to the web, she felt herself slipping further into the vision, but didn't move to break it. Something inside of her tugged at her thoughts urgently. She needed to see what was there. 

Blood filled her vision, it soaked everything, turning the rivers and oceans red and the land black. Complete destruction of the entire world. Everything in pain. No one spared. 

Confused that this seemed to be all, Tori pushed her mind further into the dreams and visions of Jaenelle's web. There was a little bit of resistance, but then she was through, slipping further and further into the vision. 

Shadows circled around her. Malicious. Hating… Powerful. So much strength. A new leader found. General to lead. Old foe to the lost Queens. Shadows slipping through the Realms, leaving it barren. Blood. Death. Carnage. Despair, pain, sacrifice. Blooddeathcarnagedespairpainsacrifice. 

BLOODDEATHCARNAGEDESPAIRPAINSACRIFICE!!! 

With a cry of pain, Tori tore herself free of the tangled web, staggering backwards in her haste to get away. She stumbled over something and landed hard on her elbows. Closing her eyes, Tori fought for control, accepting and learning from what she had seen. She could sense Jaenelle standing in front of her, angry waves pouring off of her, 

"You went in too far!" Jaenelle reprimanded, helping her to her feet. "How dare you do something so dangerous! Didn't your teacher warn you about that?" 

"What teacher?" Tori panted, calming her erratic breaths. 

Fear replaced the anger. "If you were never taught, how did you become a Dream Weaver?" 

Tori stood casually. "Same way I learned everything else. Books and instinct." 

"YOU WILL NOT MAKE ANOTHER TANGLED WEB UNTIL YOU ARE TRAINED!" Jaenelle yelled, fear naked in her eyes. 

Tori frowned, gazing at the web in front of her. "I cannot promise that, Jaenelle. The Shadows are massing their numbers, and a General has taken charge. We will need every web, every spell, every bit of strength we have to beat them. And you know it." 

Jaenelle plopped down on the air, suddenly looking very old. "This wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered. "I got rid of all the bad Blood. There shouldn't have been anyone left to challenge us." 

Tori stood facing the web still, her arms crossed over her chest as she tried to make sense of the information from the vision. "Shadows…" she murmured. "Shadows…" 

A memory sparked to life: 

_**** "I see things a bit differently," Jaenelle said. "To me they are all a tangled mess. And the shadows they make…"****_

Tori hissed, bringing Jaenelle fully from her thoughts. The elder witch frowned worriedly at Tori began to pace furiously. 

"What do you know?" Witch asked. 

Tori looked at her as she paced by. "What are the Winds?" She countered. 

Jaenelle looked confused and impatient. "Saetan already explained that. They are threads. Webs. Psychic roads in the Darkness. What-" 

"The Darkness," Tori pounced. "And where do those that die go if they don't become demon dead?" 

Jaenelle paled. "The Darkness," she whispered. "Hell's Fire, Mother Night, and may the Darkness be merciful." 

"We will need it," Tori grunted, still pacing furiously. "But what about the lost Queens? If this new General was an old foe, maybe they could find a way to stop him again." 

Jaenelle scowled at Tori. "You are being dense," she scolded. "I told you that I had brought you two here for another reason than reacquainting you with your mother." 

Tori's eyes widened. "Us?! You can't be serious. Who could we poss-" 

Tori stopped suddenly, growing very pale. Her eyes blurred and her legs crumpled, making her fall to the floor. She didn't appear to notice her new location as she began to shake and withdraw deep into herself. 

"No," she whispered fearfully. "Not him. Not him." 

Jaenelle grew deeply concerned by this and moved to bring her back from her isolation. Tori looked up at her with opaque black eyes that held so much pain and knowledge it tore at Jaenelle's heart. 

"Who is it, Tori?" Jaenelle asked, pulling her to her feet. "Who?" 

Tori shuddered, swallowed thickly, and seemed to be in complete control of herself. "The only old foe we've faced, and sent straight into the Darkness," she whispered, still looking very pale. "The General is…my father."

  
******************* Read and review, please! I need input in order to produce output. If you see any mistakes, tell me. I've been trying to keep this as close to the books as possible. The children of the First Circle are coming in the next chapter or so. ******************* 


	4. Chapter Four

  
Disclaimer: Don't own, despite recent attempts. J/k ^.^ 

*blablabla* means thoughts sent

  
*************************** Chapter Four****************************** 

"You're sure?" Jaenelle pressed as they left the room. 

Tori nodded, still numb. "Yes." She closed her eyes painfully. "It is him." 

Jaenelle placed a hand on her arm as the continued down the hallway. "You're not alone in this battle, Tori. We will help you." 

Tori straightened, pushing all emotions behind her walls and rebuilding the ice barrier around her and everyone else. "When the time comes to confront him, I will be." 

Then they had reached the dinning room, and Talia jumped up from her spot at the table to rush over. Looking down at her pale, worried face, Tori smiled a little, a bit of the tension easing. 

*What happened?* Talia demanded, clutching her hand tightly. *I heard you screaming. You were hurting, but they wouldn't let me go.* 

Tori's gaze sharpened as she looked at the two males that were sitting close to where Talia had been. *Them?* Tori asked curiously, already planning their deaths. 

*Yeah,* Talia sounded aggrieved. "I'll introduce you." 

Tori glided after her sister, pushing herself back from the edge she had been approaching. Talia wouldn't have offered to introduce them if she was afraid of them. And to be truthful, any male that Talia could feel comfortable around, was one she would give the benefit of the doubt to. 

"This is Lucifer Saetan SaDiablo," Talia said, pointing to the man closest to them. "He's Jaenelle and Daemon's son." She nodded to the second man, who half-stood, leaning a hip against the table casually. "That's Daemonar. He's the son of Lucivar," she nodded to the grown man that sat beside Jaenelle at the head of the table. 

Tori nodded to both men shortly, glancing over them. Lucifer was tall and lean, with black hair that fell to his shoulders in thick waves. A lightly tanned skin tone that could be either from working outside or natural birth. Tori was guessing the latter, since it didn't look like he did anything much more than lift enough weights to keep his body in pristine condition. She ignored the slightly flirtatious smile he sent at her, struggling not to glare. 

The other one was different. Daemonar was tall, broad shouldered, and muscular. His black hair was pulled back, out of his face, and his shirt hung indifferently in his hands, leaving his chest, which still held a fine gleam of sweat, bare. Black membranous wings stretched out behind him, adding to the intimidation that he gave off. He didn't smile at her, which only made Tori nervous. More so than she already was, since she had the distinct feeling she knew him from somewhere, and that it was important. 

"So," Lucifer said at length, standing in a smooth, cat-like motion at instantly set Tori on edge. "You're Tal's sister. We had a hell of a time keeping her here when you were talking with Mother." 

Tori looked at him and simply said, "I know." 

Lucifer glanced back at his mother before lowering his voice, suddenly serious. "What were you two talking about that has Witch all upset?" 

"I don't believe it is any of your concern," Tori said, taking a seat beside Talia. 

Lucifer made low growling noises in his throat as he sat down hard next to her, not noticing the way she stiffened. "If it concerns Witch, then it concerns all of us." 

Slightly panicked by his proximity, Tori released her anxiety as anger. "Then why don't you ask her?" She hissed, her eyes burning. 

Lucifer looked startled for a moment before smiling arrogantly and leaning in a little bit closer. "You don't like me being this close, do you?" 

"Um…Lucifer," Talia said timidly. "I don't think you should do that." 

Lucifer ignored Talia's warning and fixed Tori with his molten gold eyes and giving her The Look. The one that his father had taught him and would reduce a whole room of women to nothing but quivering masses of flesh in instants. His smile grew sultry, adding effect to his technique. 

"Lucifer," Talia tried again, feeling her sister's carefully hidden revulsion change to fury. "I mean it. You need to stop fooling around, or Tori'll-" 

Talia spoke up a half second too late. Biting cold filled the room, making every head jerk up towards the source. Tori's hand was a blur of motion as she darted forward and clamped onto his throat tightly. 

"Get. Away. From. Me." Tori gritted out, watching as the cold from her hand turned his neck pale, and then purple. 

She flung him away before he had time to react, and the air regained its lost warmth. Tori looked up to see Jaenelle walking over angrily, and scowled at the woman. 

"Talia warned him," Tori said defensively. "Repeatedly." 

Jaenelle nodded shortly. "I heard. Lucifer. High Lord's office. Now." 

Lucifer nodded, careful to keep his posture and tone respectful. "Yes, Lady." 

He turned and left the room without another word, confused and more than a little worried. He didn't understand Tori's reaction. The other women of the First Circle would have known he was playing. And Tori was a Queen. Why had she gotten so upset? 

Back in the dinning room, a woman sauntered over to Tori's table, grinning. Tori watched her carefully, noticing a slight swing in her hips and the way she always seemed posed for male attention. Looking at her, she noticed that the woman did all of this absently, as if it never occurred to her that she looked like a well-dressed prostitute. 

"Well, sugar," she laughed. "That's one way to get rid of unwanted men." She held out her hand in a casual greeting. "Name's Surreal." 

Tori covered them with her own. "Tori." 

"Since no one will have thought to tell you who's who here, I elected myself." Surreal nodded over to a blond-haired, black-winged Eyrien about seven years old that stood talking with another girl around the same age. "That's Melivian, my daughter. Beside her is Surreal, Jaenelle's second youngest, and my namesake." Surreal blushed slightly when she said that. 

Pointing to the front part of the table, where Jaenelle had sat, Surreal continued. "On the right is Daemon SaDiablo, son of Saetan and a Warlord Prince, Jaenelle's Consort and husband. They have two other children, Lucifer's twin sister, Lucia, is off visiting Lorn, but should be back tonight. And their youngest, Auroran is with Draca up in the library. She's only four, but is as smart as I've never seen. 

"Next to Daemon is Karla, Queen of Glacia and her cousin, Lord Morton. Karla's daughter, Narla, is with Lucia, accompanied by Daemonar's younger brother, Prothivar. Then its Queen Morghann and Prince Khardeen, from Scelt. Their daughter, Kalush, named after the Queen of Nharkhava, is visiting the Dea al Mon, and their son, Arahn, is off hunting with the wolf Kindred." Surreal pointed directly across from them. "That's Queen Gabrielle, and her Consort Warlord Prince Chaosti, of the Dea al Mon. They have two sons-twins-and a daughter. One of the twins is upstairs with Rori. The other two are with Titan, Queen of the Harpies, also my mother." 

Surreal paused and took a sip of water while she waited for Tori to categorize everything she had heard so far. When she nodded, Surreal continued. 

"The Eyriens across from Karla are Marian and Lucivar, who is also Saetan's son and Warlord Prince of Ebon Askavi, Daemonar's parents. As I've already said, they have another boy, Prothivar. And last, but not least, is Saetan Daemon SaDiablo, the High Lord of Hell and Steward of the Dark Court." 

"That's a lot of people," Talia murmured. 

"And not even half of the family," Surreal said cheerfully. "Since Jaenelle is Saetan's adopted daughter, and Queen Teele of the Dea al Mon adopted Jaenelle as well, that makes them family. And the Kindred-" 

"Wait, wait," Talia said, scrunching up her face. "So, you're saying that the SaDiablos and the Dea al Mon are linked through Jaenelle, since she's both their daughter?" 

Surreal nodded. "Exactly." 

Tori frowned at Surreal. "And you are Dea al Mon," she said. 

"Well, actually, I came here under the name Surreal SaDiablo, but since my mother is Dea al Mon, and my father claimed to be a SaDiablo, I guess I can claim whichever side I want. Usually I just stick with Surreal, though. Things get too complicated with last names." 

Tori grunted, adding her agreement. She was grateful when the food came, and she could do something simple, like eat. Unfortunately, it seemed she was wrong about that, too. Daemonar, who had been silently listening throughout Surreal's lecture, took his seat on the other side of Talia and Lucifer returned to take his place cautiously beside her, as if expecting her to go for his throat without reason. 

Tori scowled at him, but didn't tell him to leave, and began loading her plate with the stuffed turkey being passed around and slipped a slice onto her plate. She was reaching for the vegetables when two more slices of turkey were plopped in front of her. She turned to glare at Lucifer, who was getting his own slices peacefully. 

Noticing her glare, he said, "You need more meat." 

Swallowing her retort, Tori took a deep breath and continued serving herself, with Lucifer going behind her and piling up more than she could possibly eat. When she finally snapped at him and demanded to know what he was doing, he had the audacity to look confused. 

"You don't eat enough," he said, as if it were obvious. 

"I eat plenty," Tori growled. "If I get hungry, I would have gotten more." 

"Well, this way, you wont have to," he pointed out in a very male point of view. 

Tori closed her eyes and counted to ten slowly. Then she did it again. When she opened her eyes she looked over at Lucifer, who stared back a little apprehensively. "Okay." 

"You're not going to yell?" He asked hopefully. 

"No," Tori replied, picking up her fork and knife. "But if you don't let me eat what you've put on my plate, I will." 

Lucifer was silent and immensely interested on his plate for the rest of dinner. Glancing to her left where Talia sat, Tori smiled to see that her younger sister wasn't doing much better with Daemonar. If anything, she was doing worse. 

*How come you didn't yell at Lucifer?* Talia asked, starting on the mound of food in front of her. 

Tori sighed. *Look at the other males, Li. I guess fussing is some sort of ingrown trait. I can't really yell at him for that, it wouldn't be fair.* 

Talia frowned into her food. *But, flirting seems to be an natural facet of their characteristic, too. At least, from what I've seen of Daemon, Lucivar, Saetan, and the other males.* 

Tori shifted uncomfortably. *I know… I reacted badly. It's one of the reasons I'm letting Lucifer fuss. Maybe he won't think I'm still mad.* 

Talia giggled, drawing Daemonar's slightly suspicious gaze. Talia only smiled up at him and continued eating happily. Daemonar seemed to wince and decide that he didn't want to know. 

As dinner slowly ended, more people came over to introduce themselves and add a few facts that would make living there easier. Tori smiled politely and thanked them for the advice, trying a bit desperately not to alienate them, since Talia seemed to be getting on so well with their daughters. 

"The Kindred seem to for bonds with certain people," Marian warned Tori as she passed by to find Prothivar. "So don't be too surprised if you acquire a four-legged shadow." 

Tori nodded, storing the information away, along with her psychic scent. It had become almost reflex, when she met someone, to store away their unique jewel pattern just in case. 

"Tori," Jaenelle greeted, her husband beside her. "I want you to meet Daemon, my husband. And Lucivar…" She glanced around, smiling when she saw him making his way over. "Is right there." 

Tori arched a delicate brow. "The prickly ones?" 

Daemon frowned down at his wife. "Are you still holding that against us?" 

"Can't blame her, Bastard," Lucivar said, joining them. "We are what we are." 

"Speak for yourself, Prick," Daemon retorted. "I happen to think I'm not 'prickly' at all." 

Tori exchanged an amused look with Jaenelle. "Of course not," Tori muttered. 

Daemon's gaze sharpened. "Watch it, little witch. Or I'll get Lucivar to take you out to the training circle and have you go a few rounds with the sticks." 

"Only a few?" Tori scoffed. "It wouldn't even warm me up." 

Lucivar straightened at the obvious challenge in her voice. "Be careful, Tori. I have trained in Eyrien camps for years." 

Tori shrugged, still unconcerned. "And I have trained for thirteen. With more than just sticks." 

"Then why don't you join tomorrow's class?" Lucivar suggested, a malicious smile blooming. "It's for the ladies of the First Circle, and I've been training with them for years." 

Tori answered his smile with one of her own. "And here I thought this trip was a waste of time. I'll be there." 

As she turned to leave, nodding politely to Jaenelle and Daemon, Lucivar called after her. 

"Don't you need to know what time to crawl out of your oh-so-comfortable-bed, tigress?" 

Ignoring the pet name, Tori said over her shoulder, "No. I'm up before dawn anyway." 

Caught without an easy parry to her comment, Lucivar let her leave, grinning at her back. Beside him, Daemon smiled down at Jaenelle. 

"I think you were right, love," Daemon laughed. "I'm liking her already." 

"Me, too," Lucivar chuckled. "She's arrogant, sassy, and clearly has a lot more than basic weaponry skill from the way she walks. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was Eyrien." 

Jaenelle laughed for a moment, then her face fell serious. "I'm glad. She'll make a good Queen, once she learns not everyone is her enemy." 

"I don't know," Daemon said uncertainly. "It looks like the only one she's loyal to is this little one. Talia." 

Lucivar laughed loudly, punching Daemon in the shoulder. "That is how you started out, old son. Give her a time. Our boys will get through to her." 

Daemon nodded, smiling slightly. "I wonder which one she'll take as Consort." 

Jaenelle snapped her head over to glare at her husband. "Daemon, I'll only say this once, so listen closely. You too, Lucivar. If I hear that you two have been pushing Tori and Lucifer or Daemonar together against their wishes, I will see to it that you regret it. Sorely." 

Startled by her abrupt anger, the two men could only nod. Confident that they would obey her order, she brushed by them to go visit with her kinswoman. Daemon glanced over at Lucivar, silently questioning. 

"I don't know, Bastard," Lucivar said, shaking his head. "The only time Cat ever got like that was…when…" 

Lucivar stared after Tori, his eyes going wide in shock. 

"What?" Daemon demanded, grabbing his brother's arm tightly. "Lucivar! When what?" 

Lucivar shook himself free of his thoughts. "It was when Jaenelle was healing this one witch, after the Purge, that had been broken on her Virgin Night. She brought her here, and one of the boyos jokingly said that he was going to find her a good lay, not knowing what had happened. Jaenelle warned him once, almost exactly like she did us." 

"You can't mean that…" Daemon trailed off, following Lucivar's gaze. "She's broken?" 

Lucivar shrugged. "I don't know, yet. Tomorrow, after practice, I'll know for sure." 

Daemon closed his eyes. "It would explain a lot of her reactions when they first arrived. Why she went cold with Father." He grimaced. "All that Lady Lyra has suffered has been for nothing." 

Lucivar grunted. "Now we'll see how strong the ties of mother and daughter really are."

  
********** A little late in coming, but here it is. I have two more chapter almost done and ready to be brought out into the harsh lime light of the public ^.~ Questions? Comments? Flatteries to stroke my ego? **********

  


_Reviews:_

**greeneyes**- Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like Tori, since she's sort of the main focus! As to your question, yes. The Darkness _is_ good, but as we all have learned from Anne Bishop, goodness can be warped. Don't worry, everything will be explained as soon as I've established all the important characters! 

**DejaVu**-Yeah! More reviewers! Thanks! I'm so happy you like it! I'll post more if you do!!! ^.^ 

**Starlight**-I feel all warm and mushy inside! Oh, wait, that's the internal organs! But thank so much for the confidence boost!! Hope you enjoy my work! 

**Gray**-I'm not sure if this is _unique_, but I would like to think so! Thank you so much, and I hope you'll keep reviewing, or else I might loose my inspiration! 

**Chelsi Avalon**-Is this soon enough? I'll try to update daily, but no promises! Thanks for the review! 

**laura**-You were my first reviewer! Thank you so much for your support and patience while I sorted everything out! I know it had to seem strange! Please review again! 


	5. Chapter Five

  
A/N: Sorry it took so long to post this chapter! This is going to be short, but I'll post the next chapter sooner, since school's out! Enjoy! 

  
**************************Chapter Five***************************** 

Upstairs, Tori prowled through the halls, working off some of the energy from dinner. She lost track of direction and let her finely honed instincts guide her into a large garden, complete with a large fountain in the middle. Staring up at the statue mounted in the center of the fountain, Tori frowned a little. 

It was beautifully sculpted and in great detail. The first part that captured her gaze was the woman lying on the little platform, a bit of her skirt trailing off the side to just brush the water. Her eyes were closed and she looked unconscious. It took Tori a moment to recognize this woman as Jaenelle, younger, perhaps, but not much so. 

Looking up from the woman, Tori let her gaze travel slowly from the top of the giant beast to his feet and up again. It was a blend of a man and cat, and was very obviously male. A giant feline's head was mounted on massive, broad shoulders, his mouth open slightly and teeth bared in a vicious snarl. He crouched over the woman, with one powerful paw/hand raised; the long claws unsheathed right over her head. The other paw/hand was resting on the ground beside her head. 

Looking at them, her first thought was to stop him. Get the woman away to safety and away from the beast that seemed to be threatening her. But instinct made her look more closely, noticing details she might otherwise have overlooked. She noticed the small, trusting smile on the woman's lips. And the way her arm seemed to reach out to touch the furred paw/hand She noticed, with a stab of longing, how the male body sheltered her. Protected her. How his green-jeweled eyes seemed to stare at anyone who approached, and that his snarl didn't come from anger or rage, but from desire, the burning _need_ to protect her. 

*Blood* A mind reached out, touching hers. 

Tori jumped, spinning around to search the garden, silently cursing that she had gotten so lost in her thoughts. Slowly, to show no ill will, a very large white tiger came out of the shadows, a Gray Jewel hanging from its neck by a golden chain. 

*Who are you?* Tori demanded. 

The tiger's ears perked, as though pleased by her demand. *You haven't had _any_ training and already you can speak with Kindred!* Came the masculine voice. *This is very good indeed.* As an afterthought, he added, *My name is Kaelin, Kaelas's cub. And I'm not a tiger, I'm an Arcerian Warlord Prince.* 

Tori grunted, relaxing from her fighting stance. *What was that about blood?* *Not blood. _Blood._ Them.* He nodded her head at the statue. *The male represents all Blood males. Protectors. Defenders.* 

Tori turned back to stare up at the male, and deep inside her walls, sighed. *No.* 

Kaelin seemed confused. *No what? You think I'm lying?* 

*No. I meant that you were mistaken. There's no such thing as a male protector. They never want to _protect._* Tori said bitterly, scowling at the statue. 

Kaelin came to stand beside her, leaning ever so slightly against her leg. *You are wrong, Tori. You'll see.* 

"I should get back inside before Talia comes looking for me," Tori murmured. 

*Talia? That's no problem. Lavairar's looking after her. He's Ladvarian's cub, so he'll take good care of her.* 

"Marian warned me about this," Tori muttered, shaking her head as she went inside, followed by her new four-legged shadow. 

Kaelin trotted at her side, his eyes sweeping from side to side as they walked, always vigilant. After a few minutes, Tori resigned herself to her new partner, knowing she couldn't get away from him without somehow offending him. And offending nine hundred pounds of pure muscle and teeth didn't seem like the wisest course of action. Better to keep him as an ally. 

*How did you get so good at talking to Kindred without training?* Kaelin asked as they headed to the room Jaenelle had told her about on their way to the dinning room, after the vision. 

Tori frowned. *What do you mean? I talk to Talia like this all the time.* 

*Yes. But she's Human. It's easier for Humans to talk to Humans, isn't it?* 

Tori considered this for a moment. *Huh. I haven't noticed until now, but it's a lot easier to touch minds here, instead of…back where I grew up. I suppose, if you really look at it, it's not harder to touch Kindred minds. It just takes a different type of approach.* 

Kaelin looked up at her, approval shinning in his eyes. *You'll make a very good Queen,* he said happily. *Kaeleer needs strong Queens.* 

Finally reaching her room, Tori went in and looked around, calling in globes of witchlight to light up the corners. After a few minutes, both she and Kaelin were satisfied that it was secure, and Tori threw up an Ebon-Gray shield, but not before turning to face Kaelin. 

"I don't think it would be a good idea that you stayed here tonight," Tori said, calling in a trunk that held her clothes. 

*Why? You don't want me here?* He asked, sounding hurt. 

*Its not that,* Tori sent mentally, so he could taste the truth of her words. "It's just…" She glanced over at the large bed and shuddered, finishing lamely, "I have nightmares." 

Kaelin rotated his right shoulder in a feline shrug. *I don't mind if you kick me in your sleep.* Still, Tori hesitated, and Kaelin began to see that this was more serious than a mere nightmare. *No one can harm you here,* he sent comfortingly. 

Tori took a deep breath. "I want your word, Kaelin. Swear to me that whatever you see, hear, or sense this night and every night you choose to stay with me, stays between only us." 

Kaelin looked away. *I cannot keep secrets from my Queen, Tori.* 

"You can tell her," Tori allowed. "She already knows. But no one else. Okay?" 

Kaelin looked up at her steadily. *I swear I will say nothing, Tori.* 

Tori nodded, satisfied. "Good. I'm going to change, I'll be right back." 

Kaelin jumped onto the bed and began making himself comfortable. *I'll wait here.* 

When Tori came back out in her T-shirt and shorts, she found Kaelin already snoozing. Brushing her hair out of her eyes irritably, she moved to the bed. Suddenly Kaelin was on his feet on the bed, snarling at her. Surprised, Tori called in her Gray, prepared to fight. What he said next shocked her, as well as the deep anger that was almost hatred. 

*Who did this?* He growled, hackles rising and Jewel flashing dangerously. 

Tori blinked, thrown off guard. "Did what?" 

Suddenly Kaelin was in front of her, his cold nose nudging one of the long, jagged scars. This one ran across her stomach. *I>This,* he rumbled, his harsh breath hot against her skin. *_Who did this?!_* 

Tori took a step back, realizing that he was furious _for_ her. He was furious that someone had hurt her. She looked away, refusing to answer. Not wanting to see the damning disgust flash in his bright eyes. 

*Tori,* Kaelin sent, a little bit more in control of his emotions now. *I need to know.* 

"Why?" Tori demanded, suddenly angry. "He's dead! It doesn't matter anymore!" 

*A male did this?* Kaelin asked quietly, a coldness creeping into the room. 

"M-My father," Tori whispered, crossing her arms as she stared stubbornly at the ground. 

The cold sharpened and Kaelin threw his head back and roared pure hatred. Outside her room, she could hear the sounds of running footsteps, and Tori quickly shielded the door, called in her coat, and slipped it on, covering the scars easily. There was a moment of hesitation when Tori didn't answer the pounding on the door, then a wave of black shattered her shield and her room suddenly became very crowded. 

The first three there, Tori noticed, were Daemonar, Lucifer, and one she had never seen before. Behind them were two other strange males, and a woman. Her defenses snapped up as she glared at them, crossing her arms over her chest. 

"What do you think you are doing?" She demanded. "That was my door you just broke down." She turned to the strangers. "And who are you? I don't even know you people, and yet you come barging in here for no reason!" 

"No reason?" Daemonar growled, vanishing his war blade. "Kaelin was roaring loud enough to wake the dead! We _thought_ you were in trouble!" 

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself," Tori snarled. "And if I _had_ been in trouble, you would have felt me use my Jewels! _Think_ before you come-" 

"_Thinking_ wasn't our concern," Daemonar snarled back, his wings closing with a snap. "We _protect_. We _guard._ Kaelin yelled a battle cry. We responded!" 

Tori clenched her fist. "I didn't ask for your help! I've never lived here, Daemonar! I've learned to look after myself! I don't need _protectors_!" 

For one instant it looked at though Daemonar was going to either attack her or strain something in his neck. Abruptly he turned to leave, the others making a path for him. At the doorway, he turned to growl at Kaelin. 

"Now I know why you roared," he said. "Being stuck in a room with _her_ would make _any_ sane male do that!" 

Tori glared at him, emitting something suspiciously like a growl herself. Lucifer, smartly, decided that this was not the time to say anything, and followed Daemonar out quickly. 

"Congratulations," the woman said, looking impressed, despite the grin. "It usually take people at least three days to get Daemonar that mad. And you've managed to do it in minutes." 

Tori growled deep in her throat. 

The woman laughed and stuck out her hand informally. "I'm Lucia, Lucifer's twin." 

Swallowing another growl, Tori took the chance to really look at her and was surprised to see how alike they were. Tori grasped the outstretch hand firmly. "Hi. I'm Tori." 

Lucia nodded to the other Eyrien. Younger, lighter skin tone, but baring a strong resemblance to Daemonar. "This is Prothivar. We just got back from seeing Uncle Lorn." 

Prothivar grinned and, his eyes twinkling with mischief, stepped forward to grasp her hand. "It's nice to meet anyone who can get under my brother's skin that quickly." 

The other man rolled his blue eyes. "I'm Arahn." 

Tori politely shook his hand. Tall, handsome, with dark red-brown hair cut into short spikes, with the exception of a tiny, tight braid on his right side that fell down to his chest. 

"Nice to meet you all," Tori said. "But I _was_ getting ready to go to bed." 

Lucia laughed. "Sorry, Tori. What was Kaelin so upset about, anyway?" 

Tori slid her cold mask firmly into place. "Good night, Lucia. Prothivar. Arahn." 

Without waiting for their responses, she shut the door in their face and Gray-shielded it. After a few minutes, she felt them leave and turned back to Kaelin frowning. 

"Nice one, Kaelin," Tori grumbled, padding back over to the bed. 

*I was not prepared for that,* Kaelin apologized. He followed Tori and leapt back on the bed. *Are there many?* 

"Yes." Tori said, slipping out of the leather coat. Again she felt his flash of anger on seeing the white lines across her body. "If this is how you react to seeing the front, I think I'll sleep facing you." 

Kaelin's yellow-orange eyes narrowed. *It is worse on your back?* 

"Yes." 

*I want to see them,* he stated. When she hesitated, he added, *I'm ready this time. I won't do anything.* 

With a sigh, Tori turned her back to him and lifted her shirt, saying, "I don't know why this is so important to you, Kaelin. They are old. And Father is _very_ dead." 

There was a cold silence as Kaelin sat behind her, staring at the twenty-something whiplashes that had scarred. He could see faint lines slashing though the scars where the other lashings had healed over. 

Tori jumped slightly when she felt Kaelin's warm tongue pulling gently across her back. He paused, and when she didn't push him away, he continued until he had touched every scarred part of her back. It tingled slightly, and she could have sworn she smelled a faint herb in the air. 

*What was that for?* Tori sent tiredly, lying down next to him. 

*It will help heal the scars, and keep bad dreams at bay.* Kaelin promised, curling protectively around her back, his tail curling around her ankles. *Good night, Tori.* 

Tori sighed slipping quickly into a deep sleep. *'Night, Kaelin.* 

As it turned out, Kaelin was right. Tori awoke before the sun rose the next morning, fully rested and energized from the dreamless sleep. As she took her shower and got dressed, she glanced at Kaelin's still slumbering form, mildly amused that she trusted him so soon. It was, she determined with a wry twist of her lips, the roar that sent the cavalry running. She felt the depth of this hatred towards this unknown man that had hurt her. Not because she was a woman, or weak. But because she was a witch and Queen, and he protected Queens. 

Dawn was just creeping over the horizon when she left her room and went down to the kitchen to see what she could dig up for a light breakfast. What she hadn't counted on was Mrs. Beale. ************* A/N: R and R! ************* 

_Reviews:_

**sara**--Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it! Hope you liked this one, too! 

**Starlight**--Don't worry, my tale may look random and confused, but it all sorts itself out in…uh, like chapter ten or so. ^,^` Until then, I'll try to clear more things up! 

**Chelsi Avalon**--I've fallen behind a little in my updates, but I'll post up two more to make up for it soon! Thanks for the review! 

**Lady Grimms**--I'm getting that a lot, not knowing where I'm taking this, that is. But no worries! There _is_ a larger picture here! Stay tuned to find out! ^.~ 

**DejaVu**--As always, dark sister, your reviews are cherished! Expect more soon! 


	6. Chapter Six

A/N: I'm not going to post anymore disclaimers. I despise redundancy. There's actually going to be a little bit of action in this chapter. I'm not too great at it, so don't get your hopes up!

  
****************************Chapter Six**************************** 

Tori stopped dead as she walked into the kitchen and found a very _large_ looking person bustling around the kitchen, snapping out an occasional order to her assistant. When she turned sharply to go get potatoes to prepare for the dinner casserole that evening, her eyes fell on Tori. 

"What are you doing in here?!" the woman demanded, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at her. 

"Getting breakfast?" Tori asked, suddenly unsure about her intentions under the hot glare. 

The glare softened. "I take it you're going out to the practice field today," she said in a less harsh tone. "Well, there's some biscuits just out of the oven. But you'll have to wait for the rest until I've cooked it." 

"What are you making?" Tori asked curiously, heading over to take a slice of bread. 

"Eggs," Mrs. Beale replied promptly. "Sausage. Steak. And some kind of gravy, maybe." 

"You could do a sausage gravy," Tori suggested, nibbling on her bread. 

"You cook?" She asked ominously. 

Tori nodded. "Talia and I lived alone, and everything she touches burns. I had to learn just to survive." 

"And you say a sausage gravy?" Mrs. Beale repeated, gesturing to the cookware. "I've never heard of it." 

Tori shrugged. "It's not that hard. You mainly use scraps. Like excess flour from the bread." The woman plumped a can of flour in front of her. "Milk. Sausage, of course." 

"Cooked before hand?" She wanted to know. 

Tori nodded. "Yes. Um…if it's already been cooked, I need the pan it was made it." 

Mrs. Beale set the raw meat down in front of her. "I want to see your gravy. It will be a few hours, yet, before Lucivar and the others are awake. Now, cook!" 

Shrugging, Tori pushed up her sleeves and got to work. She spoke with Mrs. Beale off and on, since the woman had other things to do, and eventually found herself deeply immersed in cooking the entire breakfast. 

When she finally finished the gravy, even Mrs. Beale was sniffing the air appreciatively. Hearing others stirring and coming downstairs, Tori wiped her hands clean and gave the floor back to the assistant, who had fallen asleep in the corner. 

"Oh," Tori said, pausing before she left. "And if a little girl comes in here, saying I told her she could have some gravy, ignore her. Its just Talia." 

Mrs. Beale actually smiled. "Of course, dear. Now, if you get up this early again, feel free to come on down and help me out. I'm getting too old for this." 

Tori nodded and promised, raising the apple to her in a salute. She headed to the dinning room, grabbed a seat, and bit into her breakfast. She didn't wait but fifteen minutes before Lucivar stumbled in, moaning about coffee. He didn't even see her until he had drunk half his cup. 

"You're up," Lucivar said, sounding surprised. 

"I said I would be," Tori returned mildly. 

Lucivar grunted, sitting down across from her. Tori watched as he sniffed the air, licking his lips hungrily. 

"Smells new," he mumbled, still wiping sleep from his eyes. 

"Pardon?" Tori asked, not sure she heard him correctly. 

"Breakfast," Lucivar elaborated, becoming more alert with each passing second, and mouthful of coffee. "I can smell the eggs, and biscuits, and steak, but there's something else." 

"Tori, it's not fair!" Talia cried stomping in. 

Tori regarded her sister blankly. "What? Life?" 

Talia growled. "Mrs. Beale wont let me have any gravy," she pouted. She shot her sister a misty-eyed, hopeful glance. "You could get me some, since you made it." 

"No." Tori gave Talia a good, hard glare. "You'll wait for the others, or until Mrs. Beale brings it out." 

Sighing, Talia dropped the spoiled brat routine and noticed Lucivar. "Good morning, Prince Yaslana." 

"You _can_ call me Lucivar," he said in a tone that said he'd had this conversation many a times before. 

"You don't like your title?" Talia asked, wide-eyed and innocent. 

"Quit baiting him, Li," Tori grumbled. "I have to face him on the field soon." 

"Okay," Talia said. 

Lucivar glared at Talia without heat. "You were playing?" He asked with exaggerated patience. 

Talia grinned at him. "Yep. You were more fun than Uncle Daemon, because he figured it out after the first three times. It took _you_ all day!" 

Lucivar made a choking noise that could either have been a growl or a laugh. He left too quickly for Tori to find out which it was. Tori shook her head despairingly at her little sister. 

"You never know when to call it quits, do you?" 

The only response she got was lighthearted laughter. Others started coming in soon after, sitting down for a quick chat with Tori, before heading off to do whatever it was they had planned that day. When the other girls came in, Talia took it upon herself to introduce them to her sister. 

"Good morning," a little girl greeted them softly. 

Tori looked down, her face an expressionless mask. The girl, though young and still undeveloped, was slender, with long silver hair that just touched the back of her knees. Large forest-blue eyes looked cautiously up at her, not knowing if Tori would yell at her, or return her greeting. But Tori looked deeper into those innocent eyes and saw a dark power swirling, and the deadly knowledge of how to defend herself if the occasion called. 

Tori nodded to the girl. "Morning," she said shortly. 

"This is Dejan of the Dea al Mon," Talia said, beaming at Tori for being polite. "Dejan, this is my sister, Tori." 

Dejan held up her hands. "It is very nice to meet you, Lady Tori," she said, her voice never rising far above a whisper. 

Tori slipped her hands under them. "Tori will be fine, Dejan." She sat back, skimming for something appropriate to say, since it seemed to mean so much to Talia that she like the small child in front of her. "Didn't Surreal say something about you having brothers?" She asked, nodding to an empty seat. 

Dejan took the chair, making a wry face. "Yes. Rine and Sathe are my older brothers. They're nineteen," she said in an aggrieved tone only a younger sister could accurately pull off. 

They spoke casually for another minute before breakfast was served and everyone suddenly materialized. Talia and Dejan politely excused themselves to go sit with the other children. Lucifer and Daemonar came in soon after breakfast was set up, and Tori stiffened, expecting glares and vulgar words. Once again, the males here seemed to be ruled by a completely different logic. 

"You can't be still mad," Lucifer said, plopping down on her left, where he sat last time. Daemonar silently took his seat on her right. 

"No," Tori said cautiously, looking back and forth between the two men. "I suppose I _did_ overreact a little." 

Daemonar snorted softly. "_Now_ she says that." 

Tori's eyes narrowed at the Eyrien. "Watch it," she growled. 

"Oh, not again!" Lucia laughed, plopping down across from Tori. "Don't you two ever give it a rest?" 

"We weren't arguing," Tori and Daemonar snapped as one. 

"And here I thought Lu and I were the only ones, with the obvious exception of the twins, that did that," Lucia chuckled, looking suggestive. 

Tori hissed, surprising the witch into leaning back. Taking a deep breath, Tori firmly pushed away the beginnings of cold anger, taking a few slices of fruit from the basket. She shot Lucifer a warning glance when it looked like he would add more. 

"I'm warming up with Lucivar this morning," she said. 

Lucia grimaced. "Ouch. How'd you managed that? I've got to suffer through that to, this morning." 

"I asked," Tori replied with a shrug. "Although I don't know what I'm going to do the rest of the day." 

"Lick your wounds?" Daemonar suggested maliciously. 

Tori glared at him. "Why? Will I be fighting someone hard after I finish with Lucivar?" 

"_If_ you survive my father," Daemonar stressed, "I'll finish you off." 

Tori flashed him a sharp smile. "Sounds fun." 

Breakfast finished quickly, and soon Talia and Dejan were standing at her side, each shooting her pleading, begging looks. Tori finished her water and turned to face them, completely unaffected by the puppy-eyes. 

"What do you want?" She asked, crossing her arms. 

"Dejan, Melivian, and Auroran are going riding with the Kindred," Talia explained, "and invited me to come with them. Can I go?" 

Tori frowned. "Who is going with you four?" 

"Just us," Talia replied reluctantly. She nibbled on her lip before adding desperately, "But we're perfectly safe here! And I can look after them!" 

Tori hesitated. "Alright. You know what to do if you need me." 

Talia cheered, kissed her cheek happily, and turned to run off and find little Rorian. 

"What is this I hear about a trip to the stables?" A little girl asked snootily, coming up behind the group. 

Tori leaned back, regarding the small one that stood before them. She remembered her from last night, when Surreal had pointed her out. This was her namesake, Surreal. Jaenelle's second youngest. And now she realized that the blush hadn't been from pleasure, but embarrassment. The child was obviously spoiled. 

"It's none of your business," Melivian growled, her small wings opening and snapping shut in irritation. 

"I don't believe I was talking to you," the spoiled brat hummed, looking straight at Dejan. "Well?" 

"We were going to ride with the Kindred," Dejan murmured softly, looking away from the girl. 

Surreal smiled, flicking a lock of hair over her shoulder. "Well, then. We should be going. _Mother_ told me to look after you." Her bright blue eyes fell on Talia and she smirked. "She said nothing, however, about your little friend. Torlia, was it? Your not a part of us. You-" 

Surreal broke off as a wave of cold washed over her, and Talia looked up from studying the floor. "I belong wherever I wish to be," she said, glaring hard at the girl in front of her. "And I _wish_ to be with Dejan and Melivian and Auroran." 

Tori smiled fiercely at her sister, proud that she was standing up for herself. No, she thought, seeing the way she stood. Not just for herself. They way she had shifted slightly in front of the other girls said she was defending them as well. 

"F-Fine! See if I care that you tag along," Surreal said, her voice quivering slightly. She reached out to grab Dejan. "Come on!" 

Surreal never touched the little Dea al Mon. Talia's hand moved fast, almost faster than even Tori could follow, and gripped the little snot's wrist in a vice-like hold. When Surreal tried to pull away, Talia tightened her grip until she winced. 

"Leave them alone," Talia warned, her green jewel flashing. 

Surreal turned her nose up, called in her Birthright Sapphire, and used it to break Talia's hold. "A Green. How pathetic. Don't get in the way, _Torlia_, I'm much stronger than you." 

Deciding enough was enough, Tori stood, calling in her Ebon-Gray necklace. "As I am to you, youngling," she said, staring the little witch down. 

"This isn't your concern," Surreal said, looking very intimidated by Tori. 

Talia, noticing this, jumped at the weakness. "Oh, didn't you know, Surreal? This is Tori. My sister." 

Surreal paled a little bit. "S-Sister?" 

Talia's smile became predatory. "Yes," she hissed softly. 

Surreal gulped before turning on her heal and stalking out of the room, snapping for them to follow. Talia and Tori exchanged contemptuous glances before Talia led her group outside. 

*Talia,* Tori called after her on a female to female thread. *Don't kill her. It wouldn't be fair for you to be able to, and not me.* 

Talia's giggles could be heard as they left hearing range. *I promise, Tori!* 

"Nothing like post breakfast drama to jump-start the digestion," Lucia commented dryly, staring after the girls. She sighed. "I'm beginning to think Surreal will _never_ outgrow the brat stage." 

"Has she always been like that?" Tori asked as they headed out to the field. 

Lucifer walked directly behind his twin, bracing his forearms on her shoulders. "Yeah. It's all because Jaenelle yielded to Cassandra's constant nagging about teaching Craft to one of her children. When Surreal came back three months later, she was what you see now." 

Tori smiled, baring her teeth. "I could get Surreal past her brat stage very quickly, if you want." 

"Oh, we want," Lucia said eagerly. "Grandpa Saetan, Uncle Lucivar, Daddy, and every other Warlord Prince volunteered the same thing, along with most of the coven, but Jaenelle says that Surreal needs to find her own way." Her face darkened for a moment. "What she said to Tal, though. That was wrong." 

Tori nodded. "It hit a little bit too close to the truth, in Talia's mind," she said staring up at the sky. "That's why she reacted like that. What was wrong between the Brat and Melivian?" 

Daemonar growled deep in his throat. "She doesn't like those who aren't 'pure' Blood." 

"Blood that isn't mixed with other races of Blood," Lucia elaborated coldly. "Never mind that her own parents are of 'mixed' Blood!" 

Tori glanced over to see Lucivar walking over to them with a small group of people behind him, and wished very much that she hadn't told Talia to keep away from the Brat. 

"About time you graced us with your presence," Tori growled to Lucivar, taking her anger out on him. 

Lucivar, ignoring her biting remarks after a glance at the other three, turned to introduce the ones behind him. He pointed a thumb at the girl closest to him, tall with white-blond hair cut short to her head, ice-blue eyes that gleamed wickedly, Tori was instantly able to make the connection about who's kid she was. 

"This is Narla, the second terror from Glacia," Lucivar said, shaking his head. "It's like Karla all over again." 

Narla laughed throatily. "Oh, come now, Uncle Lucivar. I'm not _that_ bad." 

Lucivar ignored her and turned to the next person. Or pair of person. Two young men who looked like exact copies of the other stood side by side. Both with long silver hair pulled back exactly the same way and forest-blue eyes, although the one on the left looked as though his were a bit more blue. Both had the same fighting uniforms on, worn exactly the same way. Both had excited smirks on their lips, anticipating her mixing them up. And, somehow, they had managed to make their Jewel patterns identical as well. 

"I take it you are the big brothers Dejan was complaining about," Tori said dryly. 

The act ended there. Their patterns separated and Tori locked them away in her memory before they could restart their little confusion game. The one on the left frowned, put out that their trick didn't work, while the other one looked a little hurt. He spoke first. 

"Why was Dej complaining about us?" He asked, "We haven't done anything to her lately." 

Tori shrugged. "Do I get names?" 

"Oh, yeah," the man laughed. "I'm Sathe. He's Rine. But don't bother trying to keep us straight." 

"Only our parents, Dejan, and Jaenelle," the other one picked up, his mood shifting, "can tell us apart." 

Tori nodded, not bothering to tell them she already had them figured. 

"I'm Kalush," one of the women with long, curly brown hair and snapping green eyes said pleasantly, coming forward. "I think Arahn, my brother, said you have met." 

Tori nodded. "Morghann and Kardeen's children. You were named after Queen Kalush of Nharkava, Surreal said." 

Kalush blushed. "Yes, I am. You must have a good memory." 

"I should hope so," Tori muttered darkly. She nodded shortly to Prothivar. "Hello, Prothivar." 

"Tori," Prothivar answered, as cautious as Lucifer had been that morning. 

There were other women there, and they nodded polite hellos, but looked a little of frightened or intimidated by her to come up and exchange pleasantries. In all, the class totaled eleven women, five men, and seven Kindred shadows that came to watch after their self-appointed charges. 

*He thinks you're still mad.* 

Tori managed not to jump, and turned to glare at Kaelin as he came out of the bushes to lie in the shade of a tree. *I'm not mad at _him_.* 

Kaelin gave a huff, which could be interpreted as a sigh. *Who is it this time?* 

*Surreal,* Tori growled softly. *The child Surreal.* 

Kaelin lifted his lips from his teeth in a soundless snarl. *_No one_ likes her. She pulls on Wolf-Kin's fur. Belittles the Unicorns and Horse-Kin.* 

*She had better watch her step around my sister, or I'll teach her the meaning of humility. Jaenelle's daughter or not.* 

Kaelin sent approval at Tori's protectiveness towards her fellow den-cub. Then the lessons began and Tori broke contact with Kaelin to concentrate. They warmed up with stretches for a few minutes, everyone falling into rows. Tori ended up at the front of her row with Lucia to her left and Daemonar on her right. Lucifer stretched behind Daemonar. 

Once they had finished, Lucivar brought out the fighting sticks, tossing a bundle to the leaders in each row. Moans could be heard behind Tori, but she ignored them as she slipped hers free and passed the others back. 

She ran her hands along the length of the wood, testing for flaws and finding none. Unable to help it, she smiled slightly as she found the balance was almost as good as her personal staff. It had been a long time since she had been through the sticks, and she was eager to see just how rusty she was. 

"You will be drilling against the posts today," Lucivar barked out, his sharp gold eyes scanning the crowd before settling on Tori. He lifted his stick and pointed it at her, and Tori shifted her grip on her stick minutely, ready in case he decided on a surprise attack. "_You_ will spar with me, first, though." 

Taking a step forward, Tori knocked his stick out of the way with a flick of her wrist. "Any time you're ready," she growled, adrenaline rushing through her veins, supplying the familiar rush of energy. 

"Daemonar," Lucivar growled, backing up to the center of the field with Tori following closely. "Call time." 

One of the girls whimpered softly. "She'll never make it." 

"I'm not so sure," Lucifer murmured, half to himself. "The way she moves… It's like she's almost Eyrien." 

Lucia made no move to join the subtle betting on the side, watching as Tori and the Warlord Prince circled and gauged each other's strengths and weaknesses. She shivered at the tension that hung in the air between them. Whatever happened, it would be a close battle. 

Tori shifted her weight a little more onto her right foot as Lucivar looked as if he would move left. He noticed, and they began moving, beginning the dangerous and intricate dance. She delighted in facing so perceptive an opponent; every other adversary she had come again being weak and brainless. 

Then Lucivar had rushed in, and they met with the sharp _crack_ of wood against wood. The dance had begun. Sticks whirled, and the onlookers were forced to reevaluate this new Queen. No one but Jaenelle had ever made Lucivar work for the upper hand like he was now, and even then, he was giving ground to her. 

Tori flashed him a feral smile and he fell back another step, looking frustrated. She had quickly learned that her strength was nothing against him, and at the beginning of the match she had made the solemn vow to herself not to use her Jewels to enhance her strength. She would win this by skill, or she would concede al together. The latter, however, was looking more and more unlikely. 

"You can give up anytime you want," Tori laughed, blocking another attack and rewarding him with a sharp blow to his unguarded stomach. 

Her only answer was an enraged growl and she had to begin to really work to keep her advantage over him. Okay, she thought to herself. Making Lucivar angry did _not_ hamper his ability to fight. 

Getting a little tired of the battle, Tori moved in, intent of disarming him and knocking him to the ground. She made her move, slipping under his guard, when suddenly waves of pain-honed fury swept through her mind in a wash of cold Green. 

Gasping a little, Tori stumbled back from Lucivar, her stick falling from her numb fingers. She whipped her head to the left, staring through the other students, through the huge gray-stoned Hall, and directly at the source of the Green Jeweled fury. Talia. 

"I was wondering how long she would last," Tori muttered to herself, regaining her balance quickly. She turned to "I have to go," Tori stated shortly, then vanished in a snap of Gray, leaving the others to stare in awe where she used to be. 

She sent herself to stand as close to her sister as she could with the cold rage whirling around her. A tight shield had formed around the group, blocking the noise from the Hall, so no one came looking. Examining the situation, Tori scowled. Melivian sat, crumpled on the ground with two wet trails down her cheeks, at Talia's feet, looking incredibly vulnerable. Dejan was holding a little girl, obviously Auroran, close to her side, looking at Talia with a mixture of awe, fear, and respect. 

Apart from the small quartet, in the air, hung Surreal, her legs kicking wildly as she clawed at the invisible hand that was slowly choking the life out of her. The silly twit hadn't even the presence of mind to remember that she outranked Talia. 

"_You will apologize to her!_" Talia yelled, her eyes flashing. 

Surreal choked and the hand seemed to loosen its hold for a moment. "I…don't… apologize…to half-breeds!" She wheezed out defiantly. 

For a moment, Tori stood there, smirking as Talia sent more power into the hand she had constructed and the Brat turned a distinct blue. Then, with a sigh, she remembered that Talia wanted to be welcome there, and Jaenelle probably wouldn't like it if she killed off one of her children. 

*Talia, that's enough.* Tori sent, firm but soothing. *Put her down.* 

*She made fun of Mel,* Talia snapped in a wave of Green anger. *She's prejudice! She doesn't like half-breeds! _She needs to learn!_* 

Tori caught her meaning a little bit too late, and she watched as Talia raised Surreal higher and drew on more power from her Jewel, sending it out to the girl in a tight, controlled whip. It lashed across her skin, and Surreal arched her back, screaming. 

Thinking quickly, Tori flung a Gray shield over the girl, blocking the next volley of whipping assaults. Turning her attention to Talia, she threw a light blast her way, just enough to knock her back from the killing edge. 

Talia stumbled back, tripped, and fell. She looked up, confused, then worried when she saw Tori carefully lowering Surreal to the ground. There was a tense silence as Tori looked her over. 

"The Brat will be fine," she grunted. "She has a tougher hide than I would have thought." 

Auroran giggled, squirming free of Dejan's grip to run clumsily over to Tori. Tori stared down at the small child, raising an eyebrow in question. The girl reached up, straining her arms. 

"Up! Up!" She cried joyfully. 

When Tori did nothing, Dejan looked up from her conversation with Talia and Melivian. "If you don't hold her, she'll start to cry," she warned softly. 

Tori frowned down at the girl, but when her face started to screw up and she was about to cry, she leaned down, grabbed the front of her shirt, and lifted. Auroran, thinking this great fun, squealed with delight and planted a big, wet kiss on Tori's cheek. Grimacing and wiping the slobber, Tori shifted her hold on her, trapping her between her waist and her arm. 

"Rori doesn't take to too may people like that," Dejan commented, pleased. "Now you're stuck with her." 

Tori scowled fiercely. "I have practice to get back to. I can't look after a kid." 

"I don't think you have a choice," Melivian giggled softly, wiping at her cheeks as she pointed to the child. 

Auroran had snuggled closer and had tucked her head into the crook of Tori's neck, sighing contentedly. Tori growled softly, not really wanting to wake the little one. It might start crying. 

"Lets go back and start our Craft lessons!" Talia said, a bit too eagerly, noticing her sister's gaze. 

"Hold it," Tori said, freezing them in their escape. "I want to know what happened." 

She twitched a finger, and Surreal's unconscious body floated up and followed them as they made their way down the hill and to the Hall. Talia squirmed under Tori's piercing glare. 

"I told you already," she said softly, not meeting her eyes. "Surreal was making fun of Mel. Calling her names and such." 

"What our dear sister is leaving out," Melivian added saucily, seemingly fully recovered from the fight, "is that Surreal had originally targeted _her_. Calling her all kinds of nasty names and saying bad things about Lady Lyra. It got her mad, but she kept her cool until she turned on me." 

"I didn't _mean_ to take it that far," Talia whispered, hunching her shoulders. "I don't want her _dead_. I just…" Tears sprung to her eyes. "I tired of people hating others for no good reason! It's not right!" 

With a pang, Tori realized Talia was talking about their father. And Tori's treatment of their mother, as well. She sighed, knowing she would have to swallow her pride and anger and get at least on talking terms with the woman who had sent her to her own personal hell. 

Melivian and Dejan each grabbed a hand, adding their support and reassurances, even if they didn't know what was going on. Talia sighed, brushed off the upsetting emotions, and grinned at them, saying she was fine. 

"I'll talk with Jaenelle," Tori promised. "This isn't the time for fighting amongst the ranks, so to speak." 

Talia's eyes sharpened. "Why?" 

"We'll talk about this later," Tori said as they arrived at the back door. Jaenelle sat calmly on the back step, rising when they stopped beside her. Her lip quirked in not quite a smile at the sleeping girl nestled in one arm. 

"What has my daughter done now?" Jaenelle sighed, looking weary. 

Tori glared at the woman and spoke with short, tightly controlled syllables. "Inside. You. Me. Talk." 

Jaenelle turned and went inside without another word. Tori rounded on the three girls. "You three. Inside. Studying Craft. One hour." 

Talia nodded and translated for her friends. "We are to go inside and study our Craft for an hour. Then Tori will come in and check our work, and we can leave." 

The girls nodded, slipping by Jaenelle, and hurried upstairs. Tori followed Jaenelle to the sitting room, Surreal's body still hovering behind her. They rounded a corner and ran into Lucivar and his son. 

"What happened?" Lucivar asked curiously, looking from Jaenelle, to Surreal's body, to Tori's hard expression, and finally to the child she held. He got a funny look on his face at that point. "Never mind. I don't want to know." He said, and walked away, muttering about women. 

Daemonar smirked at Tori, obviously amused. "I do." 

"Too bad," Tori snarled softly. She paused, then shifted Auroran in her arms. "Here. Take the kid." 

Deamonar looked at the kid like she had grown fangs. "No way." 

"Why not?" Tori asked, miffed. 

"She kicks." 

Tori glared at him. "She's a child." 

Daemonar shrugged. "She uses her Birthright Red when she does." 

"Coward." 

"Yep." 

"I'll take her," Lucia said, appearing around the corner. "She only kicks the males." 

"Smart witch," Tori muttered, earning Daemonar's glare. 

Once Auroran was safely with Lucia, she and Jaenelle continued their way to the room, uninterrupted. Once there, Tori set Surreal on the couch and took one of the chairs. Jaenelle sat in the other one and waited patiently. 

"Your daughter," Tori said, gritting her teeth against what she _really_ wanted to call the girl, "is out of control. I don't care what she does and or says to the other girls of your family, but she _does not_ harm my sister. Physically, although that's almost laughable, or with her prejudice. If she pushes Talia to the edge again, I wont bring her back." 

Jaenelle sighed. "Very well, Toriana. I'll tell her to keep away from the other girls." 

Tori shifted forward, hearing the warning tone in Jaenelle's voice and ignoring it. "I want to take her out to go against me with the sticks." 

"No." Was Jaenelle's instantaneous response. "Surreal must find her own way, Tori." 

Tori nodded. "I agree. And if it were any other time, I wouldn't interfere. But you and I both know that now more than ever, we can't be divided by something this petty." 

"That's a bit hypocritical, don't you think?" Witch asked angrily. 

Again, Tori nodded sagely. "I'm going to speak with Ly-_Mother_ after I finish here. Our fighting is bothering Talia more than I had thought it would." 

Jaenelle frowned, looking down to think. Tori gave her a few minutes, knowing it was going to be a hard decision to make. Jaenelle had sheltered Surreal too much, let her have what she wanted whenever she wanted it. This was the result. Now it was time to fix the mistakes. 

Jaenelle raised her head and nodded once. "Okay. She'll train with you once every other day for a week. Then everyday until she can beat you. Is that fair enough?" 

"Yes." Tori searched for a topic, any topic, that might delay the meeting with her mother, before she sighed in defeat. "I guess it's my turn now." 

Jaenelle smiled sympathetically and picked up Surreal. "She's in the study with Papa," she said helpfully. 

Tori headed for the door, then paused, glancing back at Jaenelle. "Are they… together?" 

"They love each other," Witch said. "Does it bother you?" 

Tori considered the question, remembering how Saetan had defended her. "No. But it might mean he won't want me near her, seeing as how I didn't make a good first impression." 

Jaenelle smiled, shrugging. "You'll figure it out. For Talia." 

Tori sighed. "For Talia."

  
*********** A/N: A little longer than the others. For those of you who are confused or lost, everything will be explained in the next chapter or so. I might even have a little pairing between Tori and- Now, why would I give that away? Although, if you're attentive, you will have already figured out who the dubiously lucky male is! *********** 


	7. Chapter Seven

  
****************************Chapter Seven******************************** 

Tori shoved her hands deep in her coat pockets, which she hadn't bothered removing for practice, and trudged to the High Lord's office. Kaelin appeared at her side, concerned at the tension pouring off of her. 

"I…I have to go see Lyra. My mother," Tori told him, turning down a hall. 

*You don't want to? * He asked curiously. 

"No." 

Undeterred by her brisk answer, he pressed. *Why not? * 

Tori didn't answer, stopping in front of the closed, large wooden doors of the High Lord's office. She scowled deeply at the suddenly nervous feelings that surfaced and shoved them away, knocking sharply on the door. She stood perfectly still as a light Black probe brushed over the surface of her mind, not even past the first barrier. And waited. 

Kaelin turned, wandering off. *You are a very difficult Human, Tori. * Was his parting mutter. 

The door opened and Tori walked in, refusing to hunch or give any hint that she felt she had done something wrong. She wasn't doing this to make amends with her mother. She was doing this so Talia would be spared this particular burden. 

Tori raked her black gaze over Saetan and Lyra, who sat curled up next to each other on a large couch. They looked comfortable, as if they sat that way often. 

"Am I interrupting something?" Tori inquired coolly. 

"Yes," Saetan rumbled. Deal with it, his expression implied. 

"Then I won't take up much of her time," Tori said, stressing just a little on the 'her' part. 

Saetan's shoulders tightened. "I'm not leaving her." 

Tori growled softly in frustration. Mother Night, was it not bad enough that she had to choke out words of peace?! Must she do it in front of an audience? 

"Very well," she growled, glaring at the High Lord. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms, staring at the back of Lyra's head. The woman hadn't even turned to face her when she came in. Some mother, she thought bitterly. "I…wanted to apologize." Tori hid all of her unpleasant emotions behind her cold mask and thought very hard about Talia. "For the way I reacted when Jaenelle brought Talia and I here." 

Lyra's head tilted slightly towards her. At least she was listening, Tori thought to herself. 

"It-I wasn't expecting to…see you here." And that was the truth. Tori had thought she would at least have the decency to avoid the daughters she abandoned. At a loss for anything else to say, Tori shrugged. "So. I'm sorry." 

After getting it out, Tori turned, intent on leaving and heading back out to the training field. Behind her, she could hear Lyra turn around completely, and paused, still facing the door. 

"You're not sorry," she said softly. 

Surprised, but damned if she'd show it, Tori spun on her heel and glanced at the woman. "Oh?" 

"I think I would know when my first-born was lying to me," she said, a little bit of a snap in her words. 

Tori bit her tongue hard to keep from snapping at her. Lashing out violently to wipe the reproving look from her eyes. Lyra had not earned the right to give her that look. 

"Listen," Tori said bluntly, stalking back over to the couch. "I don't like you. Period. But Talia does. She needs a mother. And it hurts her to see us upset at each other. So, I propose a truce." 

Lyra seemed shocked by her bluntness. "You love her, don't you?" 

"Love-" Tori spun away from the woman, growling half-curses in a choked voice. She rounded on her once more. "Of course I love her!" She growled with enough heat that Lyra flinched back slightly. "Of all the-" Again Tori bit off her words. 

In a slightly more composed voice she continued. "Yes. She is my sister. Now, can you handle a truce?" 

"I'm not the one who proclaimed the vendetta." 

Tori tilted her head back, stared at the ceiling for a full minute until her temper was leashed, and looked back at the woman. "Okay. Fine. I'll play nice daughter." 

Lyra looked at her with an expression somewhere between hurt and bemused. "You must have gotten your temper from your father. He always was set off rather easily." 

Tori's frustrations vanished and she stared coldly at the woman. "That's not the only thing I got from him," she said darkly. 

Saetan glanced at her sharply, and Tori could see the pieces of the puzzle coming together for him. She clenched her jaw, watching as realization broke over his features. Glaring at him, she sent a silent message to him. 

*This stays between _us_, High Lord. * She sent with a warning growl. 

Saetan glanced at Lyra before nodding. *As you wish, Lady. * 

"I have to go check on Talia now," Tori said, turning and leaving the room quickly, before Lyra had a chance to ask what she had meant by that. 

She hurried through the halls, relaxing only when she walked in and saw Talia hard at work on her potions. Melivian sat cross-legged in the air, slouched over a brown book. Dejan was across from Talia, mixing potions as well. Talia looked up, smiling automatically. 

"It hasn't been an hour yet," Talia informed her, going back to her work. 

Melivian looked up from her book, scowling fiercely at Talia. "Why'd you have to say that? She might have let us off early." 

"If she came here early," Dejan pointed out quietly, "it is reasonable to assume she means to let us out early." She glanced behind her at Tori for conformation. "Correct?" 

A corner of Tori's mouth quirked. "Yes, Dejan. You may go now, if you wish." 

The two girls cheered and ran from the room. Talia remained in her seat, hunched over her bowl. Tori smiled fondly at the back of her head. Once Talia sat down to work, no matter what, she finished it. It was a good trait for a young witch to have. 

"I just want to finish this up," Talia murmured, reaching for the dried herbs. 

Tori nodded, heading over to the long couch. "That's fine. I'm going to lie down for a moment. Don't let me fall asleep." 

"I won't." 

Half a second later, Talia was shaking her shoulder and Tori was instantly awake. She glared half-heartedly at her sister as she got up. 

"Sorry, Tori," Talia said. "I got lost in the potions. And then you looked like you needed the rest." 

"How long did you let me sleep?" Tori asked, stretching. 

"Only a few hours." Talia gave her a hesitant smile. "Mother came by." 

"Really?" Tori asked, not sounding interested, but not brushing the visit off altogether. "What did she want?" 

"To invite us on a picnic with her and Uncle Saetan." She gave her sibling a long, searching look. "Us, Tori. Not just me." 

Tori sighed, scrubbing a hand over her face so Talia didn't see the scowl. "When?" 

"Tomorrow afternoon. About one o'clock." 

Tori frowned, thinking. She was going to start on the Brat tomorrow. Better get the child up early. Dawn would be best. An hour of warm-up. An hour of practice. And an hour of cool-down. That sounded about right for a first day. That would leave plenty of time for her to get in her own exercises with Lucivar and still be able to make the lunch. 

Tori nodded. "I'll be there." 

Talia's eyes lit up. "Does this mean you're not mad at Mom anymore?" 

Tori scowled down at her sister. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm trying to adjust to her, okay?" 

Talia's smile didn't fade. "This is great! Thank you so much!" 

Talia threw her arms around Tori's waist, hugging her close. Tori's eyes softened and she softly stroked her hair. She forgot, sometimes, that Talia was only seven years old. 

"She said you looked so beautiful when you were asleep," Talia murmured, leaning more heavily against Tori and closing her eyes, the gentle caresses lulling her to sleep. "Just like she remembered you." 

Tori accepted these words, letting them pass through her without really believing the truth in them. It wasn't like she mattered. The only feelings Tori cared about were Talia's. 

Talia yawned, snuggling closer. "She wants to love you, Ri. She…" 

Tori caught Talia as she fell asleep, before she could hit the ground, and lifted her in her arms. Turning, she set Talia on the couch, just where she had been, and smoothed away her hair from her face tenderly. 

Only when she was certain her little sister had fallen deeply asleep, did Tori rise to find Lucivar. She needed to talk with him about a place to train the Brat. She smirked as she left, wondering how many people would find an excuse to be outside tomorrow morning. 

Dinner turned out to be…eventful. Once again it was an informal mealtime and everyone sat around talking. When Tori walked it, though, Lucia snagged her and dragged her over to their table where she, Lucifer, Daemonar, Narla, Sathe and Rine, Prothivar, and Kalush sat. 

"Is it true?" Lucia demanded once Tori was once again seated between Daemonar and Lucifer. 

"Is what true?" Tori asked, snagging a roll as the breadbasket passed. 

"Are you _really_ going to train Surreal?" Kalush demanded. 

"Oh. That." Tori wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, I'll train the Brat." 

"When?" Rine and Sathe asked eagerly as one. 

"Tomorrow at dawn," Tori replied, swallowing the last of her roll. Lucifer supplied her with another. 

"I've _got_ to see this," Lucia snickered. "That lazy brat hasn't gotten up before ten in years." 

"You are _not_ going to lay a finger on me!" The object of their conversation screeched from directly behind Tori. 

Tori turned around to rake her gaze over the child critically. "You don't have an ounce of muscle on you, you stand on your heels, and you have no sense of balance. How do you propose to stop me?" 

Surreal chose to ignore Tori's assessment and continued to screech. "I won't stand for it! Mother says I choose my own path! Well, I choose to follow the path _away_ from half-breed taints like y-" 

Tori stood up in one swift motion, grabbed the back of her girls collar, and dragged her from the room, using her Gray to slap away her weak attempts with her Jewel to break the hold. When Jaenelle stood in outrage, Tori pinned her to her seat with a glare. 

"Training, Jaenelle," Tori said shortly as she dragged the Brat kicking and screaming out of the room. 

Ten minutes later, Tori returned, looking grimly satisfied. Surreal slunk in after her, sopping wet and subdued. When Lucia snickered in the silence, Tori shot the woman a warning glance. Everyone turned back to his or her meal and conversation. 

The twins were trying, unsuccessfully, to wipe their smiles off their face. They glanced at each other and quickly excused themselves from the table. Laughter could be heard just outside the door. Lucifer and Lucia quickly followed suit. Tori smiled indulgently and Daemonar chuckled softly, warm approval radiating off of him. 

"Tomorrow sounds like it will be great fun," he murmured softly to her. 

Tori flashed him a quick, rare smile. "Should be worth watching, should you find something to do outside." 

"I'm betting half the household will find something," Daemonar whispered. "I believe Father said there was wood that needed to be split." 

Tori laughed softly, and focused intently on her dinner. Yes, she was certainly looking forward to tomorrow. 

The next day began before sunup for Tori. Kaelin had once again slept against her back, a comforting pressure that helped keep the dreams at bay. She showered, ignoring Kaelin's grumbles about it being far too early. Glancing out her window as she slipped into her long-sleeved white undershirt and black-leather vest with comfortably worn black cotton pants, she figured there was still a good two hours before dawn, and hurried downstairs to have a chat with Mrs. Beale. 

"Good morning!" The cook greeted her with a smile. "I hear you get to train young Surreal." 

Tori rolled her eyes as she pushed up her sleeves. "Good news travels fast around here," she said wryly. "Yes. I am. What are we making this morning?" 

And so they fell into their new routine of making the usual meaty breakfast. Whenever Tori asked why there was always so much meat around, Mrs. Beale just gave her a strange look and patted her hand, saying she had been away from Kaeleer too long. Tori finally gave up. Besides, having all of the 'heavy' food in front of her new charge would make for a good, if not potentially messy, first lesson. Or rather, second lesson. The first one, she hoped, was still fresh on the Brat's mind from last night. There would be no talk of half-breeds being inferior or 'soiled'. 

"Good morning Mrs. Beale!" Talia chirped, skipping into the room just as Tori was washing off her hands. "Morning Tori!" 

There was something discerning about the gleam in Tori's young sister's eyes as she leaned over for the customary morning kiss on the cheek. Straightening up, she narrowed her eyes at Talia. 

"What are you doing up so early, Talia?" Tori asked suspiciously. 

Talia's grin turned malicious. "Uncle Lucivar said that since you were teaching one of the children, you might as well teach us all!" 

"You don't need to be taught," Tori reminded her patiently, deftly steering her away from the food and into the dinning room. "I have already trained you." 

Talia shrugged angelically, snagging a peach and tossing Tori an apple. "Lucivar said to come. I came." 

"Did you happen to tell 'Uncle Lucivar' that you already were a master with the sticks?" Tori asked. 

"Um…" Talia pretended to think. "You know, I think I forgot." When Tori only glared at her Talia gave her a puppy-eyed look. "Oh, come on, Tori! I want to show her what its like to be inferior to a _half-breed. Please?_" 

Tori bit into her apple to hide her smile. "Well, if Lucivar told you to attend…" 

Talia laughed and leaned back in her chair to call over two more pieces of fruit. Glancing at the clock on the wall, Tori composed a mental checklist of all the children she might have to drag out of bed if they didn't get here in the next five minutes. Surreal was a given. Dejan and Melivian were her only other two pupils, and she had a feeling they weren't going to be late for this. 

Just as she predicted, the two girls came bouncing in, positively glowing with excitement. They honed in on Talia and Tori, giggling and talking about how satisfying it was going to be to see the Brat finally get hers. 

Tori waited patiently until the clock struck six thirty and the first rays of the morning cracked over the horizon. By then, everyone was gathering in the dinning room to eat an exceptionally early breakfast. Tori glanced over at Jaenelle questioningly. 

"She says she's not coming down," Jaenelle answered, staring at her food. 

A very malicious and feral smile bloomed across Talia's face as Tori stood. Anticipation flowed from the three girls, making the air thick as Tori left. As soon as she was out of earshot, the trio broke into excited giggles, each of them imagining horrifically funny punishments. Talia smirked and sat back, raising her hand for silence and tilted her head to listen. Conversation stopped throughout the entire dinning room. 

There was a very loud screech followed by a flash of Gray. Then Tori and Surreal were gone, only to reappear in the next instant inside the dinning room. Once again, Surreal was soaked through to the bone, looking sullen and beaten. But at least she was dressed in what could be called proper fighting attire. 

"All right you four," Tori said, ignoring everyone else in the room. "Listen up. You can eat whatever you want. However, if I hit you too hard in the stomach and you throw up your breakfast, you'll be cleaning it up. Without your Jewels." 

"You can't tell us when we can and can't use our own Jewels!" Surreal said with an indignant screech. She looked to her mother for support, her eyes widening when Jaenelle only looked back impassively. "_Mother_! You can't seriously be considering letting this…this _Outsider_ control us this way!" 

Jaenelle held out her hand and the Sapphire Jewels Surreal was wearing vanished and reappeared in her outstretched hand. "I will return them to you when you are finished with practice, Surreal. Don't try to call in your other ones, either. I have those, too." 

With a furious huff, Surreal turned to look at the breakfast condiments, her stomach rumbling hungrily. Still, her new teacher's warning hung in her mind and, perhaps for the first time, wisely abstained from the solid food and contented herself with a glass of orange juice. Once she was finished, she stomped out of the room to wait on the others by the field. 

As the other girls followed Surreal eagerly, Tori caught Lucia's eye and raised her glass in a silent toast. Lucia grinned back and Tori left for her first day of de-Bratting the Brat.

  
************** 

Sorry it's so short, but I kind of figured that this was a good place to stop! As always, your comments are loved, cherished, and…well, you get the picture!! Chapter Eight coming soon!

  
************** 

_Reviews:_

**DejaVu**--Sorry it took so long. I was planning to post yesterday (or rather this morning) but FF was down so I couldn't. Here is two chapters to make up for it! 

**Starlight**--Hmm. Harry Potter? Okay. Yes, you got it right. Guess I'm not very good at subtlty. ^.^ Oh, well. It was coming out soon anyway! Enjoy! 

**millnnium**--Thanks so much! However, if you continued reading past the first chapter, you'll see that I answered that. Yes, they are in love. Keep reviewing please!! 


	8. Chapter Eight

*******************************Chapter Eight***************************** 

Walking out to the field, Tori found that she would have to work harder on the Brat than she had originally thought. Already the foolish girl was lifting her nose at the fighting sticks, her arms crossed and expression petulant as Talia, Melivian, and Dejan all took their own and began whipping them around in good fun. 

"Grab a stick, Surreal," Tori said grimly, toeing up her own and snatching it out of the air. "It's time to start the warm-up." 

The Brat gave her a disgusted look. "They're dirty. Other people have used them. They have _sweat_ on them. That's gross." 

Talia snickered, but stopped immediately under Tori's sharp glare. Satisfied, Tori returned her attention to the Brat and gave her a similar look. She went and picked up a stick. 

Surreal groaned, hefting her burden into both hands. "Geez. Did you put weights on this?" She asked suspiciously. 

This time Talia couldn't hold back her laughter. "It's_ wood_, Surreal. It's _supposed_ to be heavy!" 

Surreal glared malevolently at Talia. "You left the heaviest one for me, didn't you?" 

Talia arched a brow at her disbelievingly. "Actually,_ I_ have the heaviest. Here, catch." 

Talia tossed the stick at Surreal, making the girl squeak and duck dramatically. Tori sighed, already feeling a headache coming one. 

_At least she threw it gently,_ Tori thought privately, grateful for the one small mercy. 

"Did you see that?" The Brat screeched at Tori. "She threw it _right at my head!_" 

"All I saw was you ducking cowardly out of the way of a gentle toss," Tori replied coldly. "Now, _all_ of you, that's enough fooling around. Since you seem to have so much energy, you will join me on a five-mile jog. No!" She yelled at Surreal, who had thrown down her stick in relief. "From now until the end of our practice session, _that_ stick doesn't leave_ your_ possession! Do I make myself perfectly clear?" 

"Yessir!" Talia said, snapping to mock attention. 

"That's two more miles for you, Talia," Tori said. "This is practice. I am your instructor. Remember that." 

"Yes ma'am," Talia said, her shoulders slumping a little. 

Tori looked at the motionless girls and growled. "Well, what are you just_ standing_ here for? Get a move on!" 

The quartet of girls sighed and began their jog. Right from the beginning, Surreal started off wrong. Wanting to be in front of Talia and the others, she raced ahead while they paced themselves. Tori shook her head, keeping the young one in sight while bringing up the rear. It was going to be a long day. 

An hour later, Dejan and Melivian panted to a halt back in the training area. Talia stopped beside them, looking a little winded, but perfectly fine. A few minutes later, Surreal came in, half jogging, half stumbling, with a frowning Tori right behind her. 

"Now that the warm-ups finished," Tori said, going to stand by a group of padded poles. "Meet your new sparring partners." She paced as each of the children took their places in front of their respective 'partners'. "_Hopefully_," she began, glaring at Surreal as she stressed the word, "you will have become accustomed to your stick during the jog. If not, you will now." She said grimly. "I am going to take you, step by step, through the positions of defense and attack. You will copy the positions. You will memorize the positions." 

Tori lifted her stick, facing her charges, and began. "Position one…" 

An hour and a half later, Tori paused, seeing that even Talia was struggling a little bit to keep up. Glancing around, she saw a couple of heads whip back to their work. Only Daemonar, who was splitting wood as he had said, looked up long enough to smirk. 

"Time for the cool down!" Tori snapped, amused as she watched her charges immediately stop their work, shoulder slumping in exhaustion. "I want three miles. Go!" 

Surreal moaned, but grudgingly took off with the other three, wisely keeping pace with them this time. Tori watched them until they were out of sight before turning to stare sightlessly at the padded poles in the ground. She was pushing them hard. Perhaps a bit too hard. But with the upcoming threat, they _all_ had to be prepared. For soon, 'Hell on Earth' won't just be a saying. 

Especially for Talia and herself. Facing their father again…it was not going to be an easy task. 

Talia, Melivian, Dejan, and Surreal all came panting in, obviously having pushed themselves in the last bit of the jog. Tori didn't even bother to turn around to greet them, still deep in her dark thoughts. 

"Class is finished," she said shortly. "Stack your sticks to the side before you leave." 

Everyone obeyed instantly, but Talia stayed behind, frowning worriedly as she watched how tense her sister had become. 

"Tori?" Talia asked, touching her arm gently. "What's wrong? This isn't about the practice." 

Tori sighed. "No, it's not." 

"Is it about the picnic later?" 

Tori hesitated before nodding shortly. "You know you can't expect me to welcome her with open arms, right?" 

"I know." Talia pulled at her arm until she uncrossed them and turned with her to go inside. "I also know that this is a good place to start." 

Tori sighed again, wondering how she let herself get into this mess. "We have a few hours before we have to leave. I'm going up to take a shower and work Craft for a while." 

Talia nodded and watched her back as she left, her worried frown deepening. Something was very wrong with her sister. Had been wrong since the day they had arrived. She closed her eyes, sending a tight prayer to the Darkness that everything would turn out all right for the both of them. Life was just now coming together for them.  


Upstairs, Tori paced the length of the floor, scowling deeply. She had hours yet before the picnic, and she had planned on going out to pick a fight with Lucivar, but somehow… 

Tori sat down on her bed, leaning back against her headboard. For some reason, the pull of her Craft seemed much more important than a good, hard workout. Relaxing her guard almost completely, she stilled her mind and closed her eyes. There was the distinct feel of falling down. 

Sliding through darkness that got darker and darker the further she went. Gradually she slowed, her descent into the Abyss complete. Almost. Tori looked below her. Where there should have been the solid web that marked the 'floor' of the Abyss, there was a glassy barrier, and below that, she could sense a power darker than the Black Jewel. Ebony. The barrier was thin, brittle. All it would take was just a gentle shove at it, but the shear depth of power worried her. Without the Ebony Jewel to harness and focus the power, she might tear herself apart. Shatter her chalice. 

Pulling her thoughts away from that, Tori opened herself to the Dark, relaxing completely. All around her there was an urgent kind of pressure. Something was going to happen. Something bad. Soon. 

Something to do with her father? Tori wondered, sending the thought out. 

No. She determined, feeling, weighing the pressure. Something to do with the Darkness, yes. But not her father directly. 

Tori stared around her in shock, noticing the silver, sparkling treads of a Dream Web all around her. Power hummed through the chords, stronger than even Witch. No mortal could do this, Tori thought distractedly, as she reached out in her Abyss, touching threads that glittered silver against the 'walls' of the Abyss. In most ways, it was like the normal Webs she made. But _she_ didn't Weave this. No. She knew who had constructed it, but it took her longer than a minute to admit it to herself. 

The Web was from the Darkness itself. 

Something bad, the Abyss insisted. Death. Pain. Skeletal arms and rotting flesh. The rancid odor of decaying bodies. 

Tori shivered, revulsion making her pull back a moment. The dead walking. 

Demon dead, Tori thought. 

_No_. The Dark-woven web insisted. _Not_ demon dead. Unnatural. Unwanted. _Must_ be stopped. 

Tori nodded sharply. I'll keep my eyes open, she promised. 

With that, the tense air around her faded, and the silver webs faded around her. Feeling her physical body being disturbed, Tori left the Abyss, grim. She needed to meet with Jaenelle. Witch needed to know. 

Tori opened her eyes and looked at Talia blankly. "What do you want?" She asked, calling in a cup of water. Her throat was amazingly dry. 

"It's time to go!" Talia exclaimed in a huff. "We've been waiting on you for fifteen minutes!" 

Tori glanced at the clock that rested in the corner of her room. And, sure enough, it was two sixteen. Taking a breath to tell Talia she had to cancel, something made her pause. A feeling floated up to her from her Abyss. She was to go. 

"Sorry," Tori apologized, slipping into her coat. "I got…distracted." 

"You were in the Abyss," Talia stated, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You don't withdraw that far into yourself unless there's going to be trouble. You've been acting funny since we got here, Tori. What's going on?" 

"I'll tell you when we get back," Tori promised, coming into view of Lyra and the High Lord. "For now, lets just go to the picnic." 

Looking far from pleased, Talia relented and the four of them left for the Landing Web. Despite herself, Tori shivered slightly before stepping onto the platform. It felt too much like tempting fate, she thought as they flew on the Black to their appointed destination, which Lyra had decided to keep secret. Tori watched carefully, the shadows that moved through the Darkness all around them. The shadows that kept pace with them until they reached the correct Landing Web. 

The moment the stepped from the Web, Tori was hit with memories. She looked around the open field, small flashbacks changing perspective. Frowning a little as she tried to place it, Tori looked to her left, at the forest of trees. One in particular stood out brightly. It was a bright, shinning silver from trunk to the very last leaf. Memory hit her like a sledgehammer. 

_***Little Toriana, no more than four years old, laughed as she ran, jumped, and flipped through the grassy field. That day had been bright and warm, and she and her Mommy had decided to come out and eat a huge picnic beneath the Silver Birch. _

Little Tori ran up to her mom, jumped, and grabbed hold of the closest silver branch, swinging up into the surprisingly soft leaves. 

"Toriana!" Her mother gasped, leaping to her feet in fear. "Get down here this instant! That is a very powerful tree! You can't play on it!" 

Little Tori's head popped out of the side as she looked quizzically down at her beloved mother. "But she said I could, Mama! She likes to have children playing in her branches!" 

Calming down a little, Lyra looked at her little girl. "You can talk to her, Tori?" 

Tori swung down until she sat on the very bottom branch, in full view of her mother. She made a back and forth motion with her hand. "Sort of. Trees speak differently that we do. Slower. And without words." 

"Then how do know what they're saying?" Lyra asked, completely lost. 

Tori shrugged, grinning. "Don't know. But it's easiest when the winds blows!" She looked hungrily at the basket, all thoughts about explaining her talent gone. "Hey, Mommy, what's for lunch? I'm starved!"*** 

Tori walked over to the Silver Birch and reached up to touch the smooth bark. She paused, mid-motion, curling her fingers into a tight ball and looking away. She had no right to touch the massive beauty known among the other Trees as Silvara. Silvara was for those pure of heart. Innocents. Tori had too much blood on her hands. 

"What a pretty tree!" Talia said softly, running over to stand beside her. 

"Yeah," Tori said softly. "She's beautiful." 

Talia turned to Lyra. "Is this where we're setting up?" She asked eagerly. 

Lyra smiled, nodding. "Yes, lovely." She looked up to Tori, who still stared silently at the giant tree. "Do you—" 

"Yes." Tori said shortly. "I remember." 

"Remember what?" Talia asked curiously. 

When Tori said nothing, Lyra explained. "Tori and I used to come here when she was little. She always used to laugh and monkey-around in that silver tree there." 

"Really? Can I climb in it?" Talia asked Tori. 

"She loves children in her arms," Tori murmured quietly. Shaking her head sharply, Tori turned away. "Yeah, Talia. You can climb." 

As she was about to step away, a sliver vine whispered across her cheek on an invisible wind. Out of habit, Tori opened her mind to Silvara, tilting her head slightly towards the branch. 

_A cold wind blown through the silver branches. Branches and leaves freeze._

Tori sighed, turning back to her childhood friend._ Small breeze has grown into destructive gale._ She sent back, sadness tingeing her wordless conversation. 

A light, melodious tinkling sounded in her mind as a gentle breeze blew through Silvara's branches. _Not destructive. Just bigger._

Talia gave a surprised yelp, springing back away from the tree, her eyes wide with shock. She stopped herself and floated in mid-air for a moment before turning to Tori. 

"It talks!" She yelled. 

Tori's amusement mixed with Silvara's as the tree's branches rustled. Talia glared at the tree, then at Tori. 

"It's not funny!" She said, putting her hands on her hips. "How was I to know I was climbing on something sentient?" 

Tori shrugged. "Now that you know, are you going to just hover there, or introduce yourself?" 

"I will most likely regret this query," Saetan said, breaking into their conversation. "You can hear trees?" 

"Why not?" Tori demanded, a bit defensively. "The Trees are just as good company as people. Sometimes better." 

"I'll explain," Lyra said, coming between the two of them before a fight could break out. She led Saetan off to the side, leaving Tori and Talia with some privacy. 

Tori walked over to stand beside Talia, and placed her hand on the smooth bark of Silvara. Wordlessly, she held out her other hand to her sister, forming a bridge between the two beings until Talia understood how to speak with Trees. 

_Refreshing young breeze that blows through branches,_ Silvara sent in warm approval. Her attention seemed to shift slightly to Tori. _Similar to big breeze Tori._

_Sister breeze, new to the Trees._ Tori responded. 

To her left, Tori could feel Talia working furiously to understand and follow the strange ebb and flow of their conversation. Tori waited, knowing she would figure it out soon enough. She was right. 

_Sister breeze Talia blows a light, gentle greeting,_ Talia sent shyly, glancing up into the branches. 

Tori felt Silvara's deep amusement and surprise. _Sister breeze Talia quick to grow into a wind. Fast to learn from big sister Tori._

Talia giggled and sprung into the branches, talking with Silvara as she swung from branch to branch. Tori leaned against the trunk, relaxing a bit as she listened to them. Then, while Talia was preoccupied with her mission to reach the very top branch, Silvara turned her attention to Tori. 

_Hard, cold winds tearing through the Trees from the north,_ she said grimly, purposefully keep Talia out of it. _Foul winds that reek of carnage and death. The distant sounds of the war drum._

Tori swallowed, nodding slightly. _War comes._

_Strong gusts?_

_Very strong,_ Tori said grimly._ Stronger than Witch. _

Which is why big wind Tori came back. Help to blow away the creeping taint. Stop them from reaching the boundaries. 

Do you know where the sounds of war drums come from? Tori demanded sharply, straightening. 

_The rancid winds blow from the closed territory._ Silvara sent._ The land that was once the Realm of Light. Little Terreille._

Tori nodded once, staring out into the distance grimly. She looked to the west, where she could sense the once great land. Terreille. It was in her dark reflections that she noticed a shifting in the air. The wind picked up, swaying the tops of the Trees and slapping against her in a sharp, cold burst. 

Beside her, Silvara shuddered in disgust and panic. _It's the winds!_ She cried. _Can you smell it?_

Tori swallowed the bile that rose in her throat thickly, pulling back the searching probes she had sent out against the tempest that was forming. Yes, she felt it. Smelled it. Fear tingled up her spine as she steeled herself and sent her mind out to the mass of the advancing army, touching the rotting, sickly minds once more. There were so many. Five, maybe six hundred…beings. People was the wrong word. Human or Kindred was definitely out, as well. What she felt…it wasn't natural. 

*High Lord, * Tori snapped out with her mind, bringing Saetan and Lyra to her side almost immediately. 

She took one look at them, and knew they had felt the creeping sickness on the land. Talia swung down from Silvara's branches to cling to Tori's side, shaking and looking rather pale. They all looked slightly green, but Lyra was the worst of them, making Saetan support almost all of her weight as she gazed sightlessly out into the unseen forces. 

Tori grabbed Talia's arm, pulled her off, and shoved her at Saetan. "Take them back to the Keep, High Lord." She ordered, her voice firm and steady. 

Saetan objected automatically. "I cannot leave you here alone to face them, Lady," he said, just as firmly. 

Tori hissed at him. "Fool! Don't you understand?! They have breeched the barrier Jaenelle made to block Kaeleer off from Little Terreille! And _she's not here_! Which means she doesn't know! She _must_ be informed!" 

Still, Saetan remained stubborn. "I am a Warlord Prince—" 

"Then do your duty!" Tori snapped, walking away from them and towards the heavy blanket of darkness that slid closer. "You defend and protect, correct? So protect them. Get them to SaDiablo Hall, inform the Queen, and _then_ return here to help me, if I need it!" 

Saetan gritted his teeth, caught between Protocol and a father's desire to protect his daughter. He sighed, knowing which would win out. 

"Your will, Lady," the Steward of the Dark Court said, taking the two women to the Web. 

_­Everything has a price_, he repeated to himself._ Only, please mother night, don't let it be the loss of another Queen…_

Tori watched them until they were gone, flying off towards the Hall on the Black thread. Satisfied, she returned her attention to the real problem. She called in her fighting stick and the three Ebon-Gray Jewels she possessed; the necklace, the ring, and the uncut Gray. She used the ring to strengthen her innermost barrier. The very last one that protected her Self. Her chalice. The uncut Gray was sent into the sky to create an Ebon-Gray web-shield that would keep every last one of the enemies trapped, even if she was to be killed. 

Looking at the Gray-Jeweled necklace hovering before her, Tori lifted her stick and used Craft to weave the necklace around it and pulled power from the same Jewel to weld it into place. She concentrated hard for a moment, gripping the far right side of it and holding it away from her. 

Power spilled from the Jewel, washing over the blackened wood. Changing it. It began to twist and writhe in her grasp, and Tori frowned, holding on even more tightly. She closed her eyes, forcing the wild power of the Jewel into, through, around, the inanimate object. 

Finally done, Tori relaxed her shoulders and opened her eyes to see her newly Crafted weapon. The stick, once a nice, long, smooth piece of black wood was now a bokken. The pommel, handle, and quillion were still the dark black wood, but the blade, curved and honed more finely than any sword ever crafted, was pure Ebon-Gray. The blade was the Jewel, and she could feel the power ready, just waiting for her command to shed blood. 

Looking up again, Tori smiled grimly at the irony of it. Here was her childhood. The happy memories. The love that she was once able to feel. And it was here that she would spill every last drop of their blood. It was here that the first battle would be waged. 

Her thoughts wee interrupted by movement coming up the hill to her left. Surprised that they would choose such a strategically inferior position to begin their assault from, she turned and watched them for a while. Soon, when they passed through the shadows of the forest and into the light of day, she wished she hadn't. 

If she had thought she knew what to expect after she had lightly brushed the very outer edges of the sickness that walked through the lands, she was very, very mistaken. Just the sight of them, walking towards her, was enough to send her stomach into a revolt. 

A memory flashed through her mind. A memory of the world she grew up in. One night, she and Talia had rented 'Night of the Living Dead', just for amusement. 

It wasn't amusing now. Now, as she watched the sick, macabre advance of the corpses, she had to force down the bile. Some walked easily enough. But others… Some stumbled, dragging a uselessly broken leg along with them. Others with various injuries seemed not to notice the pain, if they even felt any. 

She saw one man, big, strong looking, walking towards her, limping a little. When Tori looked down at his foot, she saw that his ankle was broken enough that his entire foot laid on its side, the skin still holding it to the body. She watched, almost entranced, as the man took a step, lifted the broken ankle, and stepped down. His foot slid to the side and the rest of his leg touched the ground, making him limp slightly. 

Everywhere she looked it was like a different freak-show. One man had half of his face completely burned away. The right side of his skull caught the sun's rays, and the red, puss-ball that was to be his eye seeped blood and green fluids. 

But it wasn't entirely their horrifying physiques that churned her stomach. It was the intelligence. The spark of Self in the midst of the pools of agony and torment that showed her they weren't willingly doing this. 

Taking a deep breath, Tori forced herself to concentrate on the battle at hand as they all came closer, passing through her Gray shield. Deep breaths were not a good idea, she discovered. The air was thick with the musky, rotting smell of century-old corpses. Still, she focused on her enemy, and began to study them, looking for the weaknesses, blocking out the fact that they were all innocents. 

They would pose no very big problem, she thought bitterly, moving away from the Trees to have more room to maneuver, if only they weren't all armed. And from the way most of them held their chosen weapons, they were all masters with them. 

Switching her hold on the Crafted bokken, Tori held out her free right hand and called in her globe that contained her Witch lightening. Glancing back up at the army, she waited tensely. Only about half were in there, and she wanted to kill as many as she could from a safe distance before diving in with her sword and Blood Webs. 

Tori narrowed her eyes as they drew even closer to her. Now only ten feet separated her from the first wave of attackers. Now, she thought. And opened a hole in the containment globe. 

Lightening poured from her hand as Tori held it out to the men, trying to channel the rushing blaze to hit only the undead monsters. The ones just in front of her were incinerated completely in less than a second. The ones behind them, however, weren't so lucky. She watched them burst into flames and listened as they began to scream. 

By the time she closed the globe, half of the troops were either dead (again) or thrashing on the ground, about to die. Now the smell of charred flesh was added to the air, and Tori once again did battle with her own stomach. 

Vanishing the Witch lightening, Tori gripped her bokken, and pushed power into the blade. The blade flashed brightly and little sparks arched off of it and it began a steady glow. Gathering her strength, Tori slid into the ready stance, and watched as they began to come at her again, recovering a little too quickly for Tori's peace of mind. Of course, after this, her mind would never have peace again. 

Taking a deep breath, regardless of the less than appealing aroma, she exhaled in a huff, clearing her mind and drawing on her training to steady her thoughts. When she looked back up at the men, she lifted her sword, leapt into the air, and disappeared. Only to reappear right in front of them, her bokken coming down from it's arch. 

In the heat of the battle, Tori lost herself. All she knew was the satisfactory feel of her Jeweled blade slicing through the rotting, fetid corpses. The victory in seeing them fall at her feet in pieces. The war drums sounded loud in her ears, heart, and blood. 

But, she was only Human, and as such, her energy gradually ran out as she almost emptied her Jewels. Tori resorted to calling in the Blood Webs and laying traps for them. Burnt flesh and screams once again filled the air inside the shield. 

Looking around, Tori only saw a few scattered men, who were now trying to escape from her, throwing their Jewel power into shattering her shield. She smiled tiredly, and lunged for them, cutting them down. 

Finally, everything was silent. 

Tori collapsed in relief, completely and utterly drained. Her uncut Jewel fell from the sky, her shield dissolving. Everything hurt. Her arm had been slashed sometime during the fight, and it pounded mercilessly. Her skull throbbed with the backlash of using too much of her strength in Jewels. 

Pushing herself up from the masses of bodies and gore, Tori half crawled, half stumbled out of the ring. She couldn't lift her eyelids to see where she was going, but could feel it when he hands didn't squish on the blood and gore-caked grass. She managed to get a few more feet before collapsing completely. 

For a while, she was content to lie there, sucking in lungful after lungful of the sweet, fresh air and regain a little bit of her lost vitality. Then a thought occurred to her that made her push herself up on her elbows, shaking uncontrollably. Now that it was over, Saetan would most assuredly come looking for her. 

Sniffing the air, Tori could smell the fresh water not too far, and remembered that there had been a stream. Now that she could think without the threat of it tearing a hole in her head, she was almost desperate to wash away what she could. Rid herself of the layers of filth that coated her face and body. 

Five tiring minutes later, Tori's arms gave out next to the stream and she could do nothing more for the next ten minutes than lay there, recovering. She knew she was doing more damage to herself by moving around. Knew that she should just stay in one place until someone came to find her –_if_ they came, the cynical part of her countered. They might not even care enough to bother. 

Once Tori thought her body could take the abuse, she leaned over and began the doubly painful task of cleaning away the battle. For thirty minutes, the river ran red. 

More or less clean, Tori propped herself on her elbow and leaned over to stare at her reflection. She was feeling a little bit stronger now, and was almost certain she could stand. 

Looking at her face, she grimaced. Her skin, usually lightly tanned, was pale and drawn so tightly against her bones that it looked as if any movement would shatter the mask called flesh. She knew, from the wash, that her entire body looked as such. She was, quite literally, skin and bones. If the boyos saw her like this, they would never let her step foot outside the Hall again. 

Taking a deep breath and steeling herself, Tori called in the biggest coat she had, biting her lip against the onslaught of pain. The coat landed next to her with a soft thump. It took her several tries, but finally, Tori was vertical and fully hidden inside the coat. She let her hair fall in a black curtain, shielding her face from the public. 

Her first steps were small, uncertain, and wobbly. Tori, had she the energy, would have scowled at feeling like a child again. But soon she was walking, or rather lurching since she couldn't seem to keep her balance, towards the Landing Web. 

She was almost there when her foot hit something wooden, and she looked down to see her fighting stick, back in it's original form, lying there. Tori reached down slowly, cautiously, and lifted it, worried. Had she somehow shattered the Gray? Was that why it had reverted when the change was supposed to have been permanent? 

No, she discovered. The Jewel, no longer being actively used, had returned to the semi-dormant sleep that all Jewels maintain. In doing that, the sword reverted to the staff, but retained the ability to change when the need arose. 

Tori leaned gratefully against it, making her way to the Web much easier. Standing amidst the swirling colors, she chose the lightest, White. Not having the strength to ride any other. 

It seemed to take an eternity, but finally she felt solid ground under her feet again and straightened up, putting on an air of self-confidence and strength so that anyone glancing at her would see she was fine. 

Tori walked slowly towards the stairs that lead inside SaDiablo Hall, acting casual and bored, all the while clinging desperately to her stick and praying to the Darkness that her legs wouldn't give out. 

Upon reaching the top, Tori wanted more than anything to rest. To just sit there, catch her breath, and possibly pass out completely. Since every one of those options would attract immediate male attention, she pushed open the surprisingly heavy doors and stepped inside. 

"Where in all the Realms have you been?!" Lucia growled, pouncing on her the moment she entered the reception hall. 

Mother Night, Tori prayed. Not her…Please, don't make me deal with her… 

"You totally blew off practice," Lucia continued to rave, following Tori as she made her way into the nearest sitting room. "Lyra and Talia came back hours ago! Uncle Saetan called a meeting for the First Circle, and we are all out in the dark!" 

Tori managed a cynical wheeze. _In the dark, Lucia? _She thought to herself. _No._ I_ was in the Dark. I was there when it flowed over the land, leaving blood-soaked grass in its wake._

"What's—" 

Lucia's frustrated question was cut short when Lucifer, followed by Daemonar, barged into the room. Tori continued to stare sightlessly at the coffee table, keeping her face well hidden. 

"Jaenelle wants to see Tori in the Throne Room," Lucifer announced grimly. 

"What!" Lucia exclaimed. "That's where Saetan called the meeting! What is going on?!" 

Tori stood slowly, gripping her staff beneath the coat tightly. She took a careful breath and prayed her voice didn't sound as bad as she felt. 

"Why don't you come and find out," Tori said quietly as she left. 

"Jaenelle said we couldn't," Lucia said bitterly, following her. 

Tori managed a dismissing shrug. "I'm inviting you. All of you." 

"Why?" Daemonar demanded from her right. "What has happened?" 

They had reached the Throne Room by now, and Tori could only say one thing. 

"War." 

Then they were walking in. Tori took everything in with a glance, since there wasn't much to see. A long black marble table stood in the center of the room, everything else having been shoved to the side. Jaenelle headed the table, with Daemon on her right, and Saetan on her left. Lucivar, Karla, Morghann, Gabrielle, Kalush, Chaosti, and everyone of the First Circle sat in their Protocol-dictated seats. 

Lucivar, his jaw set angrily when he saw Tori's entourage, rose from his seat with deadly calm. "You are not supposed to be here," he stated in a perfectly controlled voice to Daemonar. 

"I invited them along," Tori said, still unable to gather the strength to speak above a whisper. Fortunately, Lucivar heard. "It involves them. It involves_ everyone_." 

Jaenelle nodded reluctantly, frowning deeply at Tori. "Yes. I had hoped… But it seems the situation is more grave than even I have foreseen. Sit down, Toriana. You shouldn't be standing." 

Tori slid gratefully in the chair directly across from Jaenelle. The other head of the table. Daemonar took her right, Lucifer on her left, and Lucia beside him. Tori hid her shaking hands in her lap, and leaned back against the back of the chair. 

"Now that Tori is here," Jaenelle said, standing. "We have a problem." 

Tori gave a soft, harsh laugh. "A problem. Mother night, how I wish it were only a problem." 

Jaenelle sighed, nodding reluctantly. "I don't have the time to make this sound nice." She paused, looked down momentarily before meeting each of their gazes. "Kaeleer is once again at war." She said simply. 

Their reaction was immediate, and Tori winced as their emotions pounded away at her. She was defenseless, not having the strength to erect even a smokescreen barrier between her and them. Beside her Daemonar scowled at her, trying to see through her hair to determine the cause of her wince. 

"Quiet," Witch spoke softly. Silence filled the room. "It's worse this time. This time, we aren't fighting Terreille. We are fighting the Darkness." 

"H-How is that possible?" Karla whispered, as visibly shaken as the rest. "The Darkness…It is a neutral place, isn't it? A place where you go to rest." 

Jaenelle nodded staring down the table at Tori. "But somehow, something happened. Evil took hold of it. Twisted it." 

"Then we'll fight!" Chaosti said fiercely. 

"You don't have the stomach for it," Tori spat contemptuously. 

Chaosti spun around to glare at her. "What would you know about our newest enemy?" He growled. 

"More than you could ever dream of," Tori whispered. 

"There was an attack today," Saetan revealed, glancing up to his Queen momentarily. "Talia, Tori, Lyra, and I were all out by the Silver Birch. When they first arrived, you couldn't see them, but there was a…smell in the air. Like rancid meat. And a pressure." He shook his head slightly. "I was ordered to get Talia and Lyra back here and warn Jaenelle." He finished in almost a whisper. "Tori stayed to fight." 

"And?" Karla demanded, looking to Tori. "Who were they? What did they look like?" 

"They were…" Tori searched her mind for words to accurately describe the horror and vile creatures that were also fellow Humans. "The dead walking," she finished lamely. 

"The dead walk all the time!" Chaosti cried, gesturing to Saetan. "What is so bad—" 

Tori looked up at him, letting her hair fall away from her face, revealing her skin-covered bones. "They were dead," she whispered, "but their eyes glimmered with Self. They were unwilling soldiers." 

Karla had gone very pale by now. "Wh-What happened to them?" 

Tori looked at Karla. "I slaughtered them all." 

"How many?" Daemonar growled, his eyes flashing with fury. 

Tori eased back away from him a little, the painful knowledge that she could in no way defend herself from any attacks he might make against her. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "Five, maybe six. Hundred." She said reluctantly. 

Daemonar stood abruptly, his golden eyes burning brightly. There was a sort of awed silence around the table, but Tori wasn't paying attention to them. Her main concern was Daemonar's next move. She had a very limited amount of power left in her Jewels, so if he attacked… 

"Get up," he snarled, reaching over to grab her arms in a surprisingly gentle grip for someone so angry. 

Tori refused to move. "There are more important things here, Daemonar," she stated. "I need to explain…" 

She trailed off under the look he was giving her. Quite suddenly, Tori wasn't so sure it was_ her_ he was furious with. She glanced over at Jaenelle, but it was Daemon's poorly hidden amusement that snagged her attention. Something was going on here that she wasn't privy to. Something very male. 

"You are going upstairs," Daemonar told her, lifting her from her chair easily. "You are going to sleep. You are going to obey your appointed Healer. _Then_ you may continue this conversation." 

Tori blinked, confused at how she wound up comfortably supported in his arms. She winced as his hand closed over her wounded arm. "Do I get a say in this?" 

"No." 

Tori scowled at Daemonar. "This is war, Daemonar. I think them knowing about the troops, their base of operations, and who's leading them is more important right now than—" 

"Shows what you know," Lucivar scoffed. He nodded to Daemonar. "This can wait." 

"It can wait!" Tori growled hoarsely. "Jaenelle, will_ you_ listen to reason? They can breech the boundaries!" 

Jaenelle's lips quirked in an almost smile. "Tori," she said gently. "It won't take very long. A day at most. And from what you've said, they're going to need that time to recover, too. We will talk tomorrow." 

Tori swallowed, closing her eyes as a wave of dizziness swept over her._ You don't understand, Jaenelle, _she thought. _That wasn't a significant portion of their army. That was a patrol._

*Have patience, Tori, * Jaenelle sent quietly as Tori was carried from the room. *Regardless of the number, they will take a slight break. * 

_­Now is the time to counterattack,_ Tori thought, not even able to send her thoughts to Jaenelle. _They wouldn't be expecting it._

*Perhaps they wouldn't be, * Jaenelle conceded. *We will never find out, though. * 

Tori sighed heavily, leaning against Daemonar unconsciously._ At least…put up…containment…web…_Tori yawned, her thoughts scattering under the heavy pull of sleep. 

*You can explain it tomorrow, * Jaenelle promised. *Rest. * 

Tori murmured something, not even noticing that they had arrived in her room, and Kaelin was pacing nervously by the bed as Daemonar tuck her in. She yielded, finally, to her body's demands, and slid deeply into the blissful darkness that folded around her comfortingly. She slipped further away from the hurts of her body, descending gradually into the Abyss, taking comfort in the cool protection.

  



	9. Chapter Nine

A/N: Hey! Long time no see, huh? Hehehehe. ::Glances around cautiously:: Please don't hurt me! I know it's been a while since my last posting and I'm REALLY sorry about that. -.- It was a lethal combination of Writer's Block, Senior Chaos, and Manga Addiction. The result: I've been pretty much comatose in my room for the last seven weeks. But NO MORE! I am back and I'm back with a vengeance!! I hope. 

On the plus side, though, I made these chapters really long! 

And so, without any further procrastination, I give you: 

  
******************************Chapter Nine*******************************

  


*I don't like this,* Kaelin growled quietly, careful not to disturb Tori. *She doesn't care enough about her body. She's going to end up seriously hurting herself one day.* 

Daemonar straightened up and looked down at the Warlord. *You know something.* He stated, crossing his arms. *Something else that makes you this agitated.* 

Kaelin looked from Tori's sleeping form on the bed to Daemonar, then shook his massive head. *I gave my word not to tell anyone but Jaenelle about…the things I discover about her past.* 

Daemonar looked down at the sleeping form, scowling absently as he thought. He glanced back over to Kaelin. The Arcerian could see him working out a little bit of the answer. Remembering the rage-filled cry from before. Seeing her defensive nature as just that. A defense. 

"It's bad." He stated, not questioning the Kindred. His stomach twisted violently and he looked at the Warlord with a muted plea. "But not that bad?" 

Kaelin looked away, walking around to the other side of the bed and jumping carefully up beside his chosen Human. The longer he stayed silent, the more Daemonar's vision blurred with rage. It hummed around him, burning the air with its heat. His wings opened, spreading to enlarge his appearance. Drums sounded in his ears and his golden eyes took on a murky red-orange tint. He couldn't hear the low growls coming from him as he became lost in blood rage. 

On the bed, Tori stirred in her exhausted sleep, feeling Daemonar slipping to the killing edge. She drifted closer to consciousness, delicately reaching out to see what could make him so furious. She didn't even need to brush against his mind, since he thought there was only Kaelin with him in the room. What she felt brought her eyes open with a snap, her dark eyes guarded and wary. 

*You swore, Kaelin,* Tori sent coldly to the cat on a private thread. 

*The males of this court have spent plenty of time with broken Queens after the Purge,* Kaelin stated calmly. *I didn't need to tell him a thing. Daemonar is not a fool.* 

Tori looked up at the Eyrien, still too weak to move. *I never said he was. And I'm not broken!* 

Kaelin sifted through the assortment of emotions not quite kept out of her sending. Anger, which was a given with talking about something so very personal to her. Fear that they would regard her as some kind of invalid because of this. But it was the uncertainty that struck him the hardest. She wasn't quite sure that she was telling the truth. She knew that she was able to do more than Basic Craft, but in all other aspects, she didn't believe that she wasn't shattered beyond repair. 

Luckily, Kaelin didn't have to respond to this as Daemonar seemed to grasp control over his wayward emotions and push away the mounting anger enough to notice that Tori no longer slept. He looked down at the emaciated young Queen silently, nothing showing on his face. 

"It's about time," Tori snapped hoarsely. "If you are going to go off like that for no reason, do somewhere else. You are, after all, the one who gripped at me about getting some rest." 

"No reason?" He rasped, trying to mask his growing need to kill. "I'd say that this was more than enough reason." Daemonar paused long enough to gather his control on a tighter leash. "How?" 

Tori gave him a bland look. "You're asking how I was raped?" She asked incredulously. "And here I thought you males were so informed about-" 

"How did you hide your scent!?!" Daemonar growled, his Jewel flashing as his temper rose back to the killing edge. "You were drained! You can't even stand, much less hold a psychic shield in place!" 

Daemonar growled low in his throat, his eyes flashing golden fire. Tori watched him, her face just as devoid of expression as his. But, in the end, it was she who had to look away, unable to bare the knowledge that glowed just behind the anger. 

"You should leave now," Tori said with as much thunder in her voice as possible. 

Daemonar bared his teeth in a smile. "Not going to happen," he growled. "I am not leaving until you have answered my question. How are you able to keep this…this shield around you?!" 

"I don't know, alright!" Tori managed to growl, despite what it cost her. She swallowed heavily and continued in a more controlled voice. "All I know is, when it…first happened, something in my scent changed. Something that drove…the man who raped me almost insane with lust. Talia noticed it too, and so we worked out a shield that would mask it. But it always fell apart when I got too exhausted to keep it up." 

"And so you did something," Daemonar prodded with a growl when she fell silent. 

"You must know," Tori warned him, "that everything I learned and did, was purely on instinct and trial and error. I could sense the bottom of my Ebon-gray Jewel. The very furthest I could go at that time. One night, when there were a lot of males over, I linked the shield to the very bottom of the uncut Gray. That way, in order for the shield to fall now, you had to shatter the Jewel first." 

Daemaonar clutched the nightstand by the bed, looking deathly pale. Kaelin crouched down on the floor, whimpering softly. Tori frowned at the two males' behavior, confused. Regardless, she was tired, and didn't want to deal with any more of Daemonar's snarly comments and invasive questions. 

"Now that you know," she said coldly, "you can leave." 

Daemonar grinned with a bit of feral intensity, and slid into the chair next to the bed. "I don't think I'm going to be going anywhere." He purred. 

Tori tensed, instantly pulling into herself, preparing for a fight. Beside her, Kaelin rumbled in annoyance. 

*You think to much of battle,* he admonished, moving to lay his head down gently on her stomach. *Has not Daemonar proven himself yet?* 

Tori looked away from the two males uncomfortably. Reluctantly, she took as deep a breath as she could manage, let it out, and stared up at the winged man expectantly. 

"I would not be a very good Healer if I left you while you recovered," Daemonar continued with malicious glee. 

Tori stared at him for a long moment before cold slammed around the room in freezing waves. A darkness filled her eyes as she looked at him, cold and calculating as it waged how she could kill him in her present condition. 

"No," she said softly, her words slashing at him like ice-sculpted knives. "Get. Out." 

Daemonar crossed his arms over his chest in the now familiar stance that told Tori she was in for a long fight. "I am a qualified Healer. Jaenelle herself qualified me." 

"I refuse," Tori said, struggling weakly against Kaelin to sit up. "Bring Talia in as a Healer. It is either her, or, weak or not, I'll wrap you so far in your own shadows, that you'll beg for madness." 

"Talia will not be your Healer," Daemonar growled, his fists clenching. "Jaenelle wants me to watch over you, and the best way to do that is become your Healer. You had best just lie back and deal with it." 

Tori managed to push Kaelin away and stand beside the bed in one lighting-quick movement, fury giving her strength. "Or what, Daemonar," she purred with a malevolent smile. She glanced down at his clenched fists significantly. "You'll make me?" 

"Don't be a fool," Daemonar hissed. "We don't hit women here." 

Tori narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not being a fool, Daemonar. I'm being a realist. Men like the power of dominance. They reach that power through rape and physical and mental beatings." 

Daemonar's anger seemed to instantly disappear at this, and his eyes grew large for a moment. Then he quickly stepped up to her, his hands going up to grab her arms in a tight, but gentle grasp. 

"You don't believe that!" Daemonar growled deeply, his eyes burning with denial as he stared deeply into her jaded black ones, trying to force his words into her mind. 

Tori winced as his hand closed over her still-open wound, just realizing that she had forgotten to dress it. Blood flowed freely from the re-opened wound. She had expected Daemonar to react in denial. From what she had observed from males so far, it was a given reaction to what she had said. What she hadn't expected was the desperation behind his words, as if he _needed_ her to believe that she didn't really mean it. 

*I smell blood,* Kaelin said abruptly, standing on the bed and looking sharply at Tori. 

Daemonar looked more sharply at Tori. "Are you hurt?" He asked gruffly, loosening his grip a little. 

Tori gave him a bland look. "Other than the obvious, you mean?" 

Daemonar gave her a warning growl. "Yes. Were you cut in the battle?" 

Tori shrugged carelessly as she allowed Daemonar to help her back to her bed. "It's not deep," she replied, yawning. Now that she didn't have the fury-fueled adrenaline, she was dead tired. "I'll get it when I wake up." 

"Where is it?" Daemonar demanded. "You can rest while I wrap it." 

Tori's mind was already growing fuzzy, and it was getting hard to focus on the question. Still, she had enough of her mind left to scowl at him, refusing him. 

"Why are you making this so difficult!?" Daemonar choked out, as if he had wanted to scream, but was restraining himself. 

"Can't let you see…" Tori murmured, not really aware of what she said, as sleep sucked her away. "Too…hideous…can't…" 

Daemonar's scowl eased into one of pained exasperation. "Tori…Let me help you. Please." 

Kaelin rose from his spot beside Tori and moved towards the door. He didn't need to be told that this was a private moment between them. And maybe, Daemonar would be able to help Tori piece back together her shattered heart. 

  
~*~*~

  


Tori blinked hard, pushing away sleep for another moment. Had the arrogant male before her actually say 'please'? 

"Promise…" She whispered. "Say nothing." 

Daemonar nodded instantly. "It stays between us." 

Tori twisted her lips in a wry smile. "It seems that everyone knows now. First Jaenelle. Then Kaelin. Saetan. You…" 

Daemonar looked down at her, then at her arm, noticing the blood seeping through. He reached for her arm, but hesitated to remove her coat, still waiting for her final answer. 

Tori sighed, her eyes falling shut. "Alright, Healer." 

He felt some of the tightness in shoulders leave at her acceptance. He also knew that she expected complete confidentiality in whatever he saw. Getting directly to work, Daemonar slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her up from the bed, and used his free hand to slide off the coat and drop it negligently on the floor. 

For a moment, cold whispered through the room as he gently removed the tattered remains of her shirt and finally saw what had made Kaelin cry out that night. Blood trickled down her arm and over her shoulder, highlighting a scar that ran from the top of her left breast and disappeared behind her shoulder. It ran in jagged lines, and with the way it had healed, he would say a knife, or sharp piece of metal. 

Daemoanr called in a bowl of water and the things he would need to bandage her arm. Quickly, efficiently, he washed clean the wound and smeared a healing salve on before wrapping it tightly. 

When he was finished, he looked down at her body, counting the scars he saw, and what looked as if to cause them. He counted fourteen. 

There was one that ran diagonally across her stomach, thick and wide at one end and thinning out towards the bottom. He swallowed thickly, knowing that it might have pierced critical organs. There was another on her right hipbone that was smooth and light in comparison, like she had just caught the edge of something instead of a full blow. 

Looking up at her face, Daemonar reached out with his mind, brushing hers to see how deeply she slept. When he found her deep within her own mind, he lifted the top part of her body, turning her over on her back. He set her down, his world twisting violently, making him grab onto the chair that rested beside the bed for support. 

Daemonar gathered his courage and straightened, looking back at the patterns Tori displayed across her back. They seemed to be healing still, and he had the suspicion that the Arcerian was behind it. Still, no matter what the cat did, she would always have them. 

Most of them, Daemonar counted twenty-seven, were obviously made from a whip. He remembered his Uncle Daemon's tales of his days as a whore and slave. When Jaenelle was well out of earshot, of course. Thinking back on that, he remembered Daemon saying something about layers of scars. Until now, looking down on Tori's back, he hadn't quite grasped what he had meant by that. 

There were others, not made by a whip. Strangely formed, but obviously very painful. There was a burn scar on the bottom right of her back that dipped down into her pants. 

Daemonar reached out, trailing one finger lightly along a random white line, made even more white and vivid with her body as thin as it was. He was surprised when Tori moved, murmuring sleepily and sighing, slipping back into the deep rest. 

Daemonar rolled her back over and, not finding a shirt of hers in the immediate vicinity, called in one of his and slipped it on her before tucking her back under the covers. Finished, he pulled the chair close beside the head of the bed, leaned back, and closed his eyes. Half sleeping, so if Tori woke he would sense it, Daemonar brooded. 

  
~*~*~ 

The sun, reflected through the glass doors of her balcony, hit Tori's closed eyes, pulling her firmly from her sleep. Yawning, she sat up, letting the covers fall away from her. For a moment, she wondered why she felt like she hadn't eaten in a month and why she felt so damnably weak. 

Then her attention was caught by the slumbering Eyrien and she paled. Memory came rushing back, and with that the realization that the shirt she was wearing wasn't hers. 

Firmly squashing the panic, Tori reminded herself that Jaenelle qualified him as a Healer. As such, he had probably seen worse than a cut arm. Stretching a little, she went about the task of getting up, intent of filling the empty cavern called her stomach. 

"What are you doing up?" Daemonar asked, his eyes still closed as she moved to leave the bed. 

"I'm going to get some breakfast," Tori said. "I'm starved." 

Daemonar smiled a little, opening his eyes to look at her. "Breakfast was three hours ago." He stood stiffly. "I'll go get you something from the kitchens. Mrs. Beale, I'm sure, has set aside enough to fill you." 

Tori nodded shortly, far from pleased, but relaxed, letting the headboard support her back as she waited for him to return. Taking a deep breath, she went over her body, trying to determine how bad off she was now that she had rested. After a few minutes, she smirked contentedly. All she needed was a good meal, or two, and another quick nap. Then she would be well enough to get on with stopping the war. Stopping the man who called himself her father. 

Daemonar came in a second later, his arms laden with piles of food. Tori stared up at him, wide-eyed. That was a lot of food. Then she got a glimpse of what was there and scowled fiercely at him. 

"Bread?" She said skeptically. "Soaked in broth? Soup? What is this?" 

"You burned too much energy when you used up your Jewels," Daemonar explained patiently, setting the platter in front of her. "You need to eat soft, liquid foods for a while. Then you can start on the solids. Otherwise, you'll only make yourself sick." 

Tori grumbled under her breath, but choked down the broth. She remembered all too well what happened when you started your body off with hard foods. So, even if the bread _did_ seem about as appetizing as a wooden leg, she inhaled it all, handing the empty bowls back to Daemonar. 

"May I _now_ have some real food?" Tori asked with exaggerated patience. 

Daemonar blinked, setting the three empty bowls on the tray. "You're still hungry?" 

Tori gave him a long, scathing glare. "Yes." 

"Okay…" He said faintly, holding out his hand to her. "You should be well enough to make it downstairs." 

"So glad you agree," Tori growled, and swung herself out of bed. 

Regardless of how she felt in the room, by the time they made it to the abandoned dinning room, Tori was pale and shaky once again. Catching Daemonar's worried glance, she frowned at him, daring him to ask the question that seemed to hover on the edge of his tongue. The Warlord Prince wordlessly helped her into a chair and brought in plates and bowls of 'real' food. 

Thirty minutes, two bowls of Mrs. Beale's rabbit soup, one loaf of bread, one plate of assorted fruits, five cups of cool tea, and a few bites of the meatloaf when Daemonar wasn't looking, later she sat back with a sigh of the well-fed. Daemonar looked from her, to the empty plates, and back slowly. 

"Are you…finished?" He asked hopefully. 

Tori nodded, yawning a little. "I'm stuffed. Another nap, and I'll be back to normal." 

Daemonar didn't even bother arguing with that as he followed her back up to the room silently. He politely waited outside as she changed and slipped into bed, then came in and took up his post beside her once more. Still tired, he soon found himself nodding off. 

Once again, Tori woke up and looked over to see Daemonar asleep in the chair. The sense of deja vu hit her, and she smiled slightly. Stretching leisurely, Tori glanced out the balcony doors, seeing the early morning sun. She had slept almost an entire day. 

"You're not hungry again, are you?" Daemonar asked her as she got up from the bed. 

Tori considered this, looking down at her arms to see if she was still skin and bones. Fortunately, she seemed to have filled out mostly, though she was still a few pounds lighter than before. 

"A little," she allowed, flashing him a grin. "Don't worry, I wont eat nearly as much as last time." 

Daemonar looked relieved. "Good. Mrs. Beale said that she wouldn't be able to feed you like that again until next week." 

Tori laughed a little, calling in her trunk and pulling out a change of clothes. "I can't wait to get some meats," she said, starting for the bathroom to shower and change. "Steak, maybe. And roast." 

Daemonar chuckled, but was cut off as the door flew open with a sharp bang. Tori spun on her heel, her pile of clothes in one hand, and stared at Lucia in surprise. However, it was the other woman who seemed to be in the greater state of shock. 

Lucia looked from Tori, who was in one of Daemonar's large, rumpled shirts and the pants from yesterday, holding a change of clothes, to Daemonar, who was lounging comfortably in a chair beside the bed, his clothes, usually immaculately tailored, wrinkled and messed up, to the bed itself, which was stained with a bit of blood. Her eyes grew very wide at that. 

"I-I'm sorry," Lucia stuttered, backing out of the room. "I didn't…I thought…" 

Tori scowled at Lucia's odd behavior. "What are you talking about, Lucia? And I assume there was a _reason_ for you barging in here without knocking." 

Lucia turned a distinct shade of pink as she pulled her eyes from the bed, unable to meet Tori or Daemonar's eyes directly. Instead she settled on the carpet between them. 

"I-uh…that is…um…Talia, she has been getting wound up about not being able to come up here and see you…And so Jaenelle, uh, sent me up here to get you if you were…recovered, and bring you…down to Saetan's study." 

Tori glanced at Daemonar, who only looked back, equally puzzled. He glanced at the bed, trying to figure out what- 

"You don't think-!" Daemonar sputtered, jumping up suddenly, his face turning a curious shade of red. "Lucia, Tori and I…We never…" 

"What is going on here?" Tori demanded, pinning Daemonar with a hard glare. "You and I never _what_?" 

Daemonar turned a bit more red. "Lucia thinks that I preformed the Virgin Night with you," he muttered. 

"That's impossible," Tori stated flatly. "Why would she think that?" 

The red faded a bit from their faces. Lucia came in and shut the door, realizing that anyone passing could hear their conversation. 

Daemonar gave her a bland look. "You _do_ know that when women…have sex for the first time, they bleed a little, right? And there's blood on the bed. Not to mention you're in one of my shirts." 

"The blood is from my arm," Tori stated, confused. "Although, I can't really say anything about the shirt, since I was asleep. Besides, even if we had wanted to, I was far too weak last night. I wouldn't have survived the…act." 

Lucia nodded. "I knew that, it's just, it caught me off guard. I mean, I knew you were going to have to get through it somehow in order to make the Offering." 

Tori nodded, distractedly, thinking. "Yes. I _do_ need to talk to Jaenelle about arranging the Offering sometime today," she murmured. 

"You had better change the sheets," Lucia continued, "before one of the guys come in and jump to the same conclusions. Who knows what would happen then?" 

Tori frowned, even more confused now than ever. "I don't understand. There seem to be tons of couples here. Shouldn't they be used to seeing the sheets stained?" 

Daemonar froze in the act of gathering up the blankets. Slowly he and Lucia turned to look at her, their faces carefully blank. With a sigh, Tori picked her feet up, tucked them under her, and hovered in the air absently. She had somehow said something wrong, she determined. 

"What makes you say that?" Daemonar asked cautiously. 

Tori frowned at him. "Women bleed every time they have sex." She paused, taking in their shocked expressions, then added uncertainly, "Don't they?" 

Lucia shook her head, her eyes wide. "Where did you hear that?" 

"I didn't hear it," Tori said. "In my experience, from what I've seen of other women, that's the only constant _I_ saw with them." 

"In your…_personal_ experience?" Daemonar asked softly. 

Tori looked at him, her mask perfectly shielding her emotions. "Need I answer that?" 

Lucia looked sharply at Tori. "You were raped?" She demanded, outraged. "When? _Who_?" She added with deadly heat. She sent a sharp probe to touch Tori's mind, and her eyes narrowed further. "And why can't I _sense anything_?" 

"No one of importance," Tori sighed. "And I created a shield that links directly to my Jewel, so that no matter how much I've exhausted my jewel strength, it wouldn't fade." She shook her head, clearing away her thoughts and dismissing Lucia's questions that seemed to come with that particular statement. "I need to get dressed. You _did_ say that Talia was getting upset." When Lucia looked as if she was going to argue, Tori became frustrated. "Lucia. Why don't you and Daemonar meet me in the High Lord's study." Not so much a request as a thinly veiled command. 

Lucia nodded and the two of them headed for the door. Tori paused as she reached for the bathroom door once again and turned back to them. 

"Oh, and Lucia," Tori called. She waited until the woman stuck her head back in the door. "Gather Lucifer, Prothivar, and the others as well. I don't want to make this speech more than once." 

Lucia frowned. "What speech?" 

"It's past time that I cleared up a few things, don't you think?" Tori sighed heavily. 

"Oh. Okay." And Lucia disappeared. 

Swallowing nervously, Tori hurried through her routine of getting dressed and was out the door and heading for the study in under an hour. This was it, she thought, stuffing her hands deep inside a new coat. This was where she pulled out all the horrors of her past that she had vowed to keep hidden for the rest of her life. And then some. 

Beneath the coat, Tori shifted uncomfortably. The clothes she had chosen for this meeting were deliberately revealing, but it still bothered her. She wore a long black skirt that had slits up both sides that ended at the mid-thigh, showing off the lines of pale skin that ran over her legs. Her shirt was a black mid-drift tank top, worn only to display the scars across her stomach, lower back, and upper back. 

She paused outside the study door took a deep breath, and straightened her back, tilting her head up. Tori had survived nearly her entire life with a sexual sadist, and she was not about to hunch over and be intimidated by a bunch of _males_. She knocked sharply, and then waited silently for Saetan to call her in. 

The door slid open quietly and Tori walked in confidently. Her confidence stuttered to a halt when she took five steps inside and was met with seventeen pairs of eyes. On the right, by Saetan's large desk, sat the man himself, Jaenelle, Lyra, Talia, Daemon, and Lucivar. On the left, occupying the chairs, and the other, smaller, desk was Lucia and Lucifer, Daemonar, Narla, Kalush, Arahn, Prothivar, and Sathe and Rine. Kaelin sat in the middle with a smaller, dog-like Kindred who introduced himself as Lavariar, Talia's Kindred-appointed protector. And a very large Arcerian cat who called himself Kaelas and another smaller dog named Ladvarian. 

Noticing the one chair left open that sat closest to the door and, incidentally, in between the two parties, Tori went to stand by it, not yet sitting down. Kaelin and the other Kindred rose and went to stand by their self-appointed Humans. For just a brief second, Kaelin leaned against her leg, offering her silent support and encouragement. 

Tori was silent for a moment, searching for something to say to start this off, and her eyes fell on Talia, standing beside her mother. 

"You're going to want to sit down for this, Talia," Tori said carefully. She looked at everyone standing. "You _all_ will." 

Seeing how tense Tori was, Talia paled, understanding the implications of the skirt she could see, and hurried over to her, calling in a chair to sit down in. Glancing worriedly at each other, the others complied. Tori waited, and only when everyone was sitting down, did she reach to remove her coat. Talia reached up, gabbing her wrist tightly. 

"Do you think this is a good idea?" Talia whispered. "I mean, they don't have to know about…Do they?" She pleaded hopefully. 

Tori took a long, deep breath. "Yes." She said firmly. "They must know. No more secrets, Li. Not now." 

Talia leaned back, looking deeply troubled. Tori, certain there wouldn't be any more interruptions from her, grabbed the coat and shucked it off in one smooth motion. The room was instantly coated in ice from the eleven males, and Tori used the cold to help steady her. 

"Eleven years ago," Tori began speaking without emotion, finally taking her seat, "my mother sent me and my baby sister Talia to live with our father in a completely different dimension. His name was Eric Vladd Craftman." Tori closed her eyes briefly before looking back into the crowd. "And for ten years and eleven months, I was beaten, tortured…and raped by this man." 

The room exploded. 

Stunned, Tori sat back and watched as Lucia, Lyra, and Jaenelle tried to calm the human males and Kaelin grimly calmed the three Kindred. She glanced over at Talia, her eyes widening a little to show her amazement. Talia nodded back, equally shocked. Unfortunately, Lyra didn't take it as well as the other women. She shook her head violently, tears welling in her eyes. 

"No," she cried. "I don't believe you! Eric would never…he just _couldn't_. You're lying!" 

"Lying?" Tori asked softly, cold slipping through her bones as she rose from her chair. "Yes, of course you would believe that. After all, you _bedded_ that sadist!" 

Lyra was still shaking her head desperately. "No. You're just being melodramatic. Making up things to gain sympathy for this…cold _thing_ you've become! I would have sensed it in you. I would have known! I don't believe you!" 

"Don't." Talia said, her own cold fury slipping through the room as she glided predatorily towards her mother. "Don't you _dare_ call her that. You don't know what happened. You _weren't there_!" Tears now slid down Talia's cheeks. "She did this, became cold, for _me_! To protect _me_! I don't care if you lie to yourself, Mother, but don't you ever criticize what you don't know!" 

Tori sighed, and lifted one arm to her sister. Immediately, Talia came back to her, making no sound as she cried. Tori remained standing, looking impassively at Lyra, letting nothing show. The woman looked, for lack of a better word, shell-shocked. Slowly she sat back down, gazing sightlessly at Talia. 

"As I was saying," Tori continued, her voice still devoid of feeling. "About a month ago, Eric went too far. You see, he and I had made an agreement. He didn't touch Talia, and I didn't rise against him and destroy him utterly. I had agreed, because at the time, he wore the Black and I didn't know enough about Craft to beat him. One night, he got particularly drunk and, after finishing with me, turned on Talia. He hit her only once." 

Talia sniffed, and pulled back from Tori to return to her seat. Tori remained standing, looking out at the faces of the First Circle. 

"Recently, I had learned an attack called Witchlightening. I don't suppose any of you have heard of it?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. Everyone shook their heads in the negative. Tori turned to Talia. "Would you mind calling in your globe, Talia? I…sort of used all of mine." 

Talia's eyes widened. "_All_ of it, Tori? But…you had _tons_." When Tori only shrugged, she sighed. "Alright. Here." And handed her the ball. 

Tori turned back to the group and used Craft to move the ball until it stood in the center of the room. "This is Witchlightening. It's not very hard to make, and nothing can stop it. I don't even think Twilight's Dawn could," Tori added as an afterthought. 

Saetan had turned very pale. "H-How is that…possible?" 

Tori shrugged. "Don't know. All I know is, when I used the 'lightening, it hit Eric's Black, and shattered the Jewel, his mind, and tore apart his body in under a second. Then he died." 

Jaenelle was staring at the globe curiously. She glanced up at Talia. "May I?" 

Talia nodded. "Sure. But…I'd be careful. It's sort of temperamental." 

Jaenelle called the ball of lightening over to her, examining it closely and frowning as she thought. After a moment, she reached up, touching the globe, and sucked in a surprised breath. 

"Where did you say you found how to do this?" Jaenelle asked in a strangled voice. 

Tori shrugged. "Well, I didn't _actually_ find _that_ particular thing in a Craft book. I was reading through one of the Basic Craft books, where it talked about drawing on your Jewel's power, and I started thinking a little bit beyond that and…this came up." 

Saetan clutched his head and whimpered something that sounded like, "Mother Night." 

The other boyos weren't in much better shape. The only ones who didn't look too upset were the witches, and Tori figured that was because they were sensible witches and not prone to hysterics. Unlike the males. 

"Does this mean I should make the males leave before I get started on Blood Webs?" Tori asked Jaenelle dryly. 

Saetan whimpered again. "Dare I ask?" 

Tori called in a small black-wood box and opened it without a word. Looking in there, she made an absent note to Craft more. Only one blood web and one Gray web remained. She lifted both out. 

"This," Tori said, holding up the Ebon-Gray web between her thumb and forefinger, "is a Jeweled web. You, obviously, use your Jewel power as thread and Craft this. When you make it, you can Craft it one of two ways: attack or protection. If you Craft it as an attack, when you throw it at an enemy with a lighter Jewel rank, it will wrap around them and burn itself into their flesh, and continue burning until the body is in pieces. Protection, on the other hand, is primarily to defend the person it is thrown to. It, too, wraps around the body, but instead of burning them, it creates a shield over the body. Again, only a darker Jewel could shatter it. And, actually, I believe there is a way to Craft a protection web that would bind it to a person's life where it would activate if their life is threatened and it would not only protect them, but tap into the Winds, and bring them back to a designated place…" 

Jaenelle's eyes brightened. "I get it! The web could act like a Coach in bringing them back here on the Winds! That way, not only are they safe, but can get immediate attention for their wounds." 

"And the Blood Webs?" Daemon asked in a strangled voice. 

Tori put the Gray web back in the box and held up the dark red one. You Craft it just like the Jeweled ones, but instead of your jewel, you use blood. It's more effective in protecting blood-related family and does much more damage to the ones that aren't family." 

Tori was silent as she let them all absorb what she had said. Jaenelle looked to be the only one who was actually considering the value of Tori's little toys during battle. In fact, if Tori wasn't mistaking the gleam in her eyes, Witch was taking the information a step beyond what Tori knew. 

"There was a more pressing reason to my trip down memory lane," Tori said after five minutes. 

"You mean there's more?" Daemon asked plaintively. 

Tori nodded somberly. "Have you told them, Jaenelle?" 

"I've explained about the Darkness," Jaenelle said. "But I'll start from the beginning. 

"When Kaeleer went to war with Little Terrielle," She began, "you all know how much power I used in that final battle. There were long-term repercussions that I hadn't thought about. Somehow, Twilight's Dawn…scrambled the Winds. It mixed the roads through the Darkness, and created Shadows where there weren't supposed to be. These Shadows act as a portal of sorts between Kaeleer and the Darkness, allowing the dead to come though." 

"I still don't understand how the dead are there in the first place," Lucivar grumbled. "When you return to the Darkness, you are supposed to fade out completely. _Nothing_ is left of you. Not your body, not your mind." 

Jaenelle nodded in agreement. "That is how it was supposed to be," she admitted. "But in the battle, power swept through the Shadows and into the Darkness. The dead regained their bodies and a small glimmer of their Selves. Regardless, they would have died again and faded back into Darkness had something else not happened." 

Tori picked up when Jaenelle paused. "When I destroyed Eric, I sent him directly to the Darkness. Because of that, he never became demon dead, never slowly tired his supply of Black out, and never became weak." She paused, turning slightly to Talia. "When I sent him to the Darkness, he took control over the newly awakened dead, twisted them under his control, and became General, the leader." 

Talia's face turned a frightening shade of pasty white. "Y-You mean…he's coming back?" She whispered fearfully. 

Tori closed her eyes. "Yes. And soon, he will find us. I don't doubt that he has become stronger." She opened her eyes and looked at Jaenelle. "Which is why I am going to need to make the Offering as soon as possible, Jaenelle." 

"Absolutely not!" Daemonar growled. "The Offering is taxing at best! And with you not even fully recovered, going in to reach Ebony, it's going to be even worse!" 

"I'd live," Tori told him calmly. 

"At what price?!" Daemonar countered. "If you could wait two more days…" 

"You don't get it!" Tori yelled, finally loosing her grip on her temper. "We don't have _two days_! He is coming soon! Tonight, tomorrow at the latest! And he won't…be… alone! He'll have millions, if not _billions_, of enslaved dead backing him up!" 

"Then we stop him," Daemonar said, unperturbed by her outburst. "We aren't exactly helpless, you know." 

Tori stood there shaking from exhaustion, the meeting having taxed her energy. "No, Daemonar." She said tiredly. "You won't face him. He's created his army for revenge. It will be me who faces off with him in the end. And there is nothing you can do to prevent it." 

  
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A/N: Whew! Now that _that's_ all straightened out…ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER with yet MORE explanations!! Hehehe don't you just LOVE me? ::grins hopefully:: No? Awww…….well, next chapter, you'll probably like me even less! Ta ta!! 

  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  



	10. Chapter Ten

  
*****************************Chapter Ten*********************************

  


Tori reached for her coat tiredly and left the room without another word, anxious to get back to her room and rest for a little while. Not long, but enough so that she wasn't shaking. Kaelin walked beside her silently, letting her use him occasionally as a support when her legs would become particularly wobbly. 

*I'm glad you told them,* Kaelin said at length as they entered her room. *They wanted you to trust them enough to let them beneath your shield.* 

Tori sank into her bed, a slight tint coloring her cheeks. "Yes, well…They have a way of pulling stuff out of a person." 

*You know that you'll never be rid of us now, right?* Kaelin asked, his tail swishing from side to side as he leapt onto the bed. *We're the beginnings of your court.* 

Tori sighed heavily. "I don't want a court, Kaelin. But…obviously there isn't much I can do about it, is there?" 

Kaelin looked at her, the air around him buzzing with excitement. *You mean you'll accept us?* 

She laid back against the headboard with a slight nod. She paused for a moment in getting situated, and glanced warily at Kaelin. "Who, exactly, is 'us', Kaelin?" 

The giant cat seemed to think over this for a moment. *Lucifer, Arahn, Lucia, and Daemonar of course, Narla, Prothivar, Kalush, The Twins, and Lavariar. And then the rest of the family is coming in later on, and _they_ will want to serve.* There was a certain smug and completely male assurance in that statement that almost made Tori worry. *Talia and _her_ first two members of her First Circle might serve, just to show their loyalty and adjust to the Protocol required. To say nothing of the Kindred, when you meet them.* 

"Mother Night," Tori murmured. "What have I gotten myself into?" 

Before Kaelin could answer, there was a light, hesitant knock on the door. Tori glanced over at the rectangular piece of wood and waited. When no one came barging in, she let out a soft breath of relief. If they were waiting patiently, it wasn't one of the boyos. Which meant, _maybe_, she would escape being fussed at. 

A swift probe was all it took to wipe away the relief and bring Tori's mask sliding back up. Kaelin, sensing the shift in his Queen, jumped down from the bed to crouch beside her. 

"Come in," Tori called, what strength she had being directed to making the room as subtly uncomfortable as possible. 

Lyra opened the door and stepped inside with a sort of firm resignation. She shivered at the cold, but firmly took another step closer to the bed. After a tense moment, Kaelin straightened from his defensive position and leapt back up to lay beside Tori, his head resting in her lap as he stared at the woman expressionlessly. 

"I believe it is time we got everything out in the open," Lyra said, waiting for Tori to allow her to take a seat, subtly acknowledging Tori as the more powerful Queen. 

Tori scowled, but nodded to the chair. "I have told you everything already, Lady Lyra." 

"But…" Lyra seemed at a loss for words for a moment. "I need to know what made you hate me so. I know I made a mistake in sending you to live with Eric, but I honestly didn't know that he would be capable of such things." 

Tori shifted minutely. "I don't hate you," she muttered. "But I also don't believe you fully understand what Talia and I went through." 

"And I don't believe you _want_ to understand what I went through when I gave you both up," Lyra responded, leaning forward in her chair. "You are my _daughter_, Toriana. I was lost without having you to take care of." 

Tori tensed. "Lost where?" She asked carefully. 

"In the Twisted Kingdom," she whispered. "That's how Jaenelle found me, and brought me back." 

Tori leaned back more fully against the headboard. "And how you fell for the High Lord." She smirked when Lyra turned a vivid pink. 

"In a way," she allowed. 

"Oh?" Tori asked, mildly surprised to find herself interested in hearing the tale. "And what way _did_ it happen?" 

Lyra looked shocked. "You really want to hear about it?" 

Tori shrugged, glancing away. "It would pass the time better than us bickering, wouldn't you say?" 

"Yes," Lyra agreed, smiling brightly. She situated herself more comfortably in the chair, staring into the distance for a moment as she thought. "Well, I would have to say that it all started when I woke up from the healing sleep Jaenelle had put me in when I came back from my…madness." 

"There _are_ worse places to be," Tori told her mildly. 

Lyra blinked at her daughter, recognizing the awkward attempt at offering sympathy, and smiled softly. "I suppose there is." 

She shook her head slightly and continued with the story. "Anyway, Saetan was there when I woke up, fussing as all males here tend to do. He _insisted_ on my staying in bed, drinking the herbal potions Jaenelle had concocted to help me get better more quickly, and doing nothing else." Lyra smiled at the far wall fondly. "Back then, I was as snappish as they came." 

Tori smiled ruefully before she could stop herself. "_That_ I remember," she said. "I always knew that I was never really in trouble until _you_ found out." 

Lyra blushed. "Yes, well. Suffice to say, I gave Saetan the sharp side of my tongue." She paused, considering something. "I remember he seemed so surprised by my outburst, though I don't know why. After all, he lived with countless witches, and should be used to such a manner." 

Tori made an agreeing sound, although she could probably guess at a few reasons the High Lord would find her lack of fear intriguing. Especially if she had remained unafraid after she had seen his Black Jewels. 

"To make a long story short," Lyra finished, "He danced around asking me out for a few months, then finally found the balls-er courage-to come up. And the rest just…fell into place." 

Tori examined the doe-eyed woman before her. "Do you ever regret it?" 

"What? Oh, no. Saetan…he's…well, everything I could possibly hope to find and more." She gave her daughter a curious look. "Why would you ask that?" 

Tori shrugged slightly, not wanting to disturb Kaelin, who had seemed to of fallen asleep. "He's a Guardian. One of the living dead. You wont be able to have kids with him. Or grow old together. He'll watch you grow old. And he will watch you die. But the entire time, he will stay as young and fit as you see him now." 

Lyra's face puckered in a frown. "But that's a long time from now, Tori. And I already have two daughters." 

"Two daughters that you missed grow up," Tori countered. 

"Yes, I did miss everything," Lyra said sadly, looking down. "I missed Talia's first steps. Her first words. Her first…everything! And I missed teaching you Craft and teaching you about the checks and balances of the Blood society. And helping you through your first moontime…" 

Tori glanced down at Kaelin, brushing her fingertips through his fur lightly. Knowing it was probably a very bad idea, Tori took a deep breath and turned slightly back to her mother, glancing at the elder woman out of the corner of her eye. 

"I could use some lessons in Blood society," Tori said, "since I'm going to have to set up a Court. And Craft lessons would help with the upcoming battle." 

Lyra sat there for a full minute, gaping at her daughter. "Do…you want me…to teach you?" She asked breathlessly. 

"If you don't have anything else to do," Tori agreed, wondering about the strange feeling of excitement that flooded her when her mother called in a few thick books and laid them on the bed eagerly. 

"We'll start with the simple things first," Lyra said, picking up a Basic Craft book and flipping through the pages. "Lets see… Do you know about passing things through solid objects?" 

Tori leaned forward and stuck her hand through the book. "Like this?" 

Lyra jumped, sending Tori a reproving glare. "Yes. Exactly like that. Now, how about we start with…" 

Tori listened, letting her eyes fall closed as she considered the information her mother was reading aloud. As she took it all in, she felt herself relaxing, and just listening to the smooth, light sound of her mother's voice. Reality around her faded, and she slipped further and further into the abyss and another vision. 

_She stood before her father, exhausted and completely drained, her Ebony Jewels flickering dully on the ground. Tori, breathing hard, turned to look around her, and had to suppress a cry. Bodies littered the ground. The bodies of the boyos from SaDiablo Hall. The males of her First Circle. Lucifer, Prothivar, Kaelin, and…Daemonar. That one hurt the most. Seeing her proud Eryien warrior lying in a pool of his own blood and gore made her cringe, and for some inexplicable reason, drew tears to her eyes. _

Then her eyes looked further back, past her males, to see the females, some dead, some tragically wounded. Maybe fatally. Talia stood unharmed, surrounded and guarded by a blood web, weeping as she gazed at the slaughter. Their mother stood not far behind Tori, kneeling beside the fallen form of the High Lord of Hell. 

Tori's father shift closer to her, and she snapped her head back to look at him, black hatred filling her heart. Everyone she had known…cared for…even loved, was dead, and he stood there grinning triumphantly at her, knowing she was beaten. She looked at him, watching as he lifted a hand to deliver the final Jewel-powered blow that would shatter her chalice and destroy her mind. Power spiraled out of his hand, searing the land as it sped towards her. Tori couldn't help but stare at it, mesmerized by all the colors it contained, and the complete lack of it at the same time. 

"Tori!!" 

Then something was blocking the deadly blast, and Tori blinked, snapping out of her daze in time to watch her mother's lifeless body crumple to the ground in front of her. Crying out in shock and pain, Tori sank down next to her, cradling the dead body as her father stepped up again. And again he raised his hand out towards her, power spinning out from the white Jewel he wore. 

This time, there was no one there to save her from the burning cold blast. Tears fell unheeded down her cheeks as she pulled her mother's body closer and looked to Daemonar, an ache deep in her heart. 

I never told you, Tori thought to him sadly. Never told you that I- 

It was then the Jeweled blast hit her in wave after wave of pure agony. Her back arched painfully, and Tori threw her head back and screamed her pain, her grief, and her anger. 

Then there was nothing… 

Tori jerked awake with a sob, waking Kaelin in the process. She looked at the chair her mother had occupied, and saw it empty. Reaching up, she touched her cheeks, coming away with a salty wetness. Her breathing was halted, and unsteady as she tried to push away the nightmare. 

*What happened?* Kaelin demanded, seeing the tears that stained her face. *Why are you crying?* 

Tori shook her head, getting up and running a hand through her hair absently, getting it out of her face. "Nothing. Just a nightmare." 

*You've never cried in your nightmares before,* Kaelin accused, standing up. *What was it about?* 

"I don't want to talk about it," Tori said, heading to the balcony doors for some fresh air. 

*The others have arrived.* Kaelin offered a change in subject. *The other part of the family?* He nudged a reminder. 

Tori nodded curtly, bracing her hands on the railing. "I'll go down to see them shortly, Kaelin. For now, I need to be alone." 

Reluctantly, Kaelin left the balcony to go hunting. Tori waited only a moment after he had left before she jumped onto the railing and from their onto the roof, using Craft to balance herself and hover above it, so no one could hear her. 

For a moment, she hesitated, when the wind blew and her hair, unbound, was taken with it. Then she shook away the tempting thought of going back for a tie or something. It didn't matter. What did matter was figuring out if that dream was an actual vision of the future, or just a possible future. 

Gliding over to the edge of the roof, Tori looked out and saw the landing web. She stared into the twisting mass of Winds and Shadows, loosing herself in thought. 

So many questions…so little time to find the answers. Already it was dark, and the attacks were to start soon. Maybe, she would be lucky, and they wouldn't start until morning. Maybe… 

Later, Tori wasn't sure if it was hours or minutes, she sensed a Black Jeweled Warlord Prince land behind her. She heard the soft snap of his wings as he closed them. Still, she didn't need to turn around to be able to sense who it was, and the dream she had before she had come to Kaeleer leapt to mind. 

So, she mused, still staring into the Web. It is Daemonar whose company I was grateful for. 

Considering it at length, Tori found herself agreeing with the dream vision. It was…comforting, to feel the Eyrien so close. 

"You're going to catch cold if you insist on standing there like that," Daemonar growled finally. 

Tori blinked away her thoughts and glanced down at the large shirt and long, baggy pants. "There's nothing wrong with what I have on," she told him, still facing away. 

A sudden strong gust of wind blew from the right, making Tori shiver, belying her earlier words. Behind her, Daemonar let out a huff, and moved towards her cautiously, spreading his dark wings to shield her from the breeze. 

Unexpectedly, Tori felt a blush rising, feeling his warmth as the wind fell away, making her realize how cold she had really been. She angled her head so her hair fell over her face, hiding the red tint in her cheeks. 

"What are you doing up here?" Daemonar asked, biting his tongue to keep from demanding that she return inside and into bed. 

"I couldn't sleep," Tori said, returning her attention to the landing web. "I…had a dream." 

Tori couldn't help the shudder that went through her body as she once again pictured Daemonar's bloodied body. She crossed her arms and swallowed down the bile firmly. 

Daemonar shifted minutely closer, and Tori suddenly wanted nothing more than to know that he was alive and well. Turning around, she narrowed her eyes at him critically, noting the circles under his eyes. 

"When was the last time you slept?" Tori demanded. 

Daemonar looked at her in shock for a moment, then he glared suspiciously at her. "Why?" 

Tori put her hands on her hips, giving him her best glare. "Because you look exhausted, that's why! It's late, you _should_ be asleep!" 

Daemonar took a step back, completely lost. Where had this new Tori come from? "I was looking for you. Dinner is in a few minutes." 

"I've been here long enough that I can find the dinning room on my own," Tori snapped. "After dinner," she continued, "you will go to bed. And you will sleep until noon, or else." 

"Why are you suddenly so worried about my sleeping patterns?" Daemonar demanded, crossing his arms. 

"Because I don't want to see you dead!" Tori yelled in frustration, then bit her tongue, wishing she could take that back. 

Daemonar stared at her silently. "You had a dream about me dying?" He asked expressionlessly. 

"You. Lucifer. Prothivar. Mother. Everyone." Tori shuddered, again. "It…wasn't pretty, Daemonar." 

"What about you?" He asked, coming towards her again and guiding her back to her balcony. 

"I died too." 

Daemonar's hold on her arm tightened briefly. "It was a dream." 

Tori waited until they had reached the small platform outside her room before responding. Best not to give him any shocks while he was using Craft. 

"It was a dream in the Abyss," she told him and then went inside, closing the glass doors firmly on him. 

Hurrying, Tori washed, slipped on a clean set of clothes, and was in the motion of picking up her jacket when a thought struck her. Carefully, she set the coat back down and called in her uncut Gray. 

She sat down on the corner of her bed, looking into the Jewel, feeling around for what she knew was there. When she found it, Tori stared at it, mentally tracing the spell that held her secret. That didn't allow for others to see that she was broken. 

There was a group of very powerful, second-generation witches and Warlords downstairs, Tori could sense that from where she was. And she was certain every single one of them would make a good addition to her Court. If not her First Circle. 

_No more hiding,_ she told herself grimly. 

With that decided, she reached out with her mind and touched the delicately Crafted spell. It shattered with only a light command from her, and Tori could feel the air around her change. 

Almost immediately, her door was once again knocked down, and Tori was staring in shock at twice as many intruders than last time. Shock quickly evaporated into anger as she stood up, glaring at Daemonar, who was once again at the forefront. 

"What is it that you seem to have against _knocking_?" Tori yelled furiously, her Gray Jewel she clutched in her had flashing in response. 

Daemonar was turning a worrying shade of purple, and seemed to be too angry to speak properly. It was a pale and shaky Lucifer that finally responded, looking angrier than she had ever seen him. 

"You…told us…that the only way…that shield would drop…was for your Jewel to shatter." Lucifer spaced out the words carefully, as though if he spoke any more quickly, he would start screaming. "The shield dropped. We thought…" 

Tori's anger abruptly vanished. "Oh." 

Daemonar made a choking sound. "_Oh?_" He growled out. "You nearly give all of us a heart attack, AND ALL YOU SAY IS _Oh!?!_" 

Tori arched an eyebrow at him. "Sorry?" She suggested mildly. 

Daemonar gripped his hair tightly, roaring about impudent females, and stalked out of the room. Tori ducked her head so the others wouldn't see her grinning. She couldn't help it. Even though she knew it was a serious matter, baiting Daemonar was simply too much fun. 

"Mother Night, Tori," Sathe wheezed, regaining his color. "Don't ever do that again!" 

Tori sighed. "I am sorry. But really, you need to pay closer attention. Do you really think my Jewel would shatter without some sort of backlash?" When they still looked upset, Tori realized that she would have to be much more careful about what she did in the future. "Alright. How about this? One day next week, you can fuss all you want-within reason-, and I wont say a thing." 

Lucifer's eyes lit up at this. "Agreed!" 

They all left the room, and somehow Tori ended up in the center of a small, casual circle. Lucia and Lucifer were on her right and left, Sathe and Rine in front of her, and Prothivar and Arahn at her back. Walking in, Tori was greeted with a roomful of angry stares. Except the newcomers, who weren't tuned in with her psychic scent and wouldn't have understood the significance of the abrupt change. And Daemonar, who was currently leaning against the table by his father, drinking deeply of a glass filled with what looked like brandy. Looking at his haggard, gaunt features, Tori felt a stab of remorse and took her seat uneasy under the glares. 

As they took their seats, Lucifer detached himself from the circle and went over to the table where Daemonar was obviously trying to get himself very drunk. He whispered something to the Eyrien excitedly, and Daemonar put down his glass, an evil glint in his eyes. As Lucifer and Daemonar came over, the glares turned to sympathetically approving glances. 

Daemonar took his usual seat on her right, with Lucifer on her left, and smiled cheerfully at Tori. Tori scowled back, not trusting this abrupt shift in moods, and turned to Lucifer. 

"What did you tell him?" Tori asked mildly. 

Lucifer munched on a roll, avoiding her eyes. Tori scowled more deeply at him the longer he avoided her question. 

"He told me of the deal you had made," Daemonar chuckled. "I can't wait." 

Tori hissed at him, snatching up a roll. It figured Daemonar would be excited about this, she grumbled to herself. Never mind that he just got finished fussing over her. With a huff, she turned her immediate attention to the meal, glancing around at the new witches and Warlords as she ate. 

There were a lot of Dea al Mon, and satyrs among Jaenelle's 'family'. There was a witch with black stripes across her skin, and green feline eyes. Beside her hovered a Warlord prince with similar markings, but orange eyes. 

The family made polite conversation with each other, occasionally coming over for an introduction. Tori sat tensely, watching them all. She knew, from the way the new males were perched nervously on the edge of their seats, that they sensed that she had been through her Virgin Night, and it wasn't a pretty one. She knew, and she hated the weakness. 

By the end of dinner, she had acquired eight new friends she felt she could trust. Lexine, who wore the Red, and Maeve, a Gray Jeweled Prince, sister and brother that couldn't be more different, were the offsprings of Wilhelmina, Jaenelle's sister, and Mei, a Red Jeweled Prince. Lexine, called Lexi, was quick tempered, sharp-tongued, and prone to drastic mood swings just to keep the males off-balance. Maeve, however, was as soft-spoken, even-tempered, and shy as they came, just like his mother, Tori noticed. Unusual traits for a male, she thoughts absently. Tori, a little surprised, found their company pleasurable. 

Then there was Prince Liam, son of Zylona and Jaren, satyrs from Pandar. He was short, only five-two. But what he lost in height, he made up for in rock-hard muscles. Liam was easily the most muscular male there. To Tori's surprise, though, he was an amazingly sensitive person. She had to watch her sharp tongue very closely around him, or she could really do some damage to his Self. Lucifer quietly explained to her that he had been kidnapped as a kid and they had, however inadvertently, shattered his Web for a few days, and even now it was still fragile. Regardless, or maybe because, of this, he wore the Ebon-Gray. 

Warlord Prince Kontar made his presence, and intent, known quite clearly to everyone at Tori's ever-expanding table. 

"I am Kontar," he said, coming over and staring down at Tori with a frown. "You are the new Queen?" 

"Yes," Tori said cautiously, watching him closely. "Why?" 

Kontar didn't reply immediately, as he looked her over silently. If it hadn't been the complete lack of sexual interest in his gaze, Tori would have had some less than polite words with him. 

"You need a better guard," he said, turning his attention on the now miffed males that sat directly beside her. 

Tori narrowed her eyes at him, but it was Lucifer, sounding both annoyed and amused, who spoke first. 

"If you want to try it, then by all means," he said with his father's trademark arrogant grin, "be our guest. Tori has a habit of hiding things too well." 

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself," Tori growled. 

One long glare from the males was enough to convince Tori to give up _that_ particular argument. Still, she knew what Kontar was talking about and considered him very closely. Master of the Guard would be very close to her. Closer than others of her First Circle. But there was something she sensed in him, just below the surface, that pushed at her to accept and trust this man with her life. 

Tori nodded slowly. "Very well, Kontar." She smiled a little. "If you think I'm so poorly protected." 

Kontar smiled, putting a fist to his chest and bowing. "Your will, Lady," he murmured. 

He left soon after to talk with Lucivar, but Tori knew he was keeping close watch over her. And, strangely, she felt protected, knowing he was there to shield her from harm. 

A new race that was made apparent to her were the ones from Pantreland. With skin as dark as a starless night and eyes the colors of all the Jewels. It was one such male that came over to her table and introduced himself as Cabel. Cabel's skin was darker than most, and his eyes were a deep, dark black as well. It didn't surprise her a bit that he wore the Black, but there was a contained rage that burned as he spoke with her. Rage that there were still men around who could do such a thing to Queens. Tori, though she would be dragged through all the forests of Kaeleer by her heels before she admitted to it, was touched by the concern that came from a virtual stranger. 

The last three were Dea al Mon. Keane and Merrick were Warlord Princes. Both wore the Black. Both were almost as overprotective as Lucifer and the other boys. And both instantly made themselves comfortable under Tori's unofficial rule. Keane with his soft, innocently deceiving looks, and deadly arts of all Dea al Mon. Merrick was tall, sinewy, and always carried his bow across his back. He tended to get a little over-serious from time to time, but Lucia, who was oddly attentive to his moods, was always there to give him a good shove back to an easy-going temperament. 

The third Dea al Mon was an elderly man. Not old, not yet, but not as young as others in the room. He introduced himself as Eldon. Titan's brother. Tori knew, from the moment she looked at him, that he would take the place of Steward in her court. He was old enough not to set off her rapidly lessoning trepidation of males, but still young enough to serve her for a good many years. It helped a lot that he seemed to have as many sharp and sweet moods as the witches did and gave the appearance of being endlessly patient. 

  
*~*~*~*~*~*

  


"There was a lot of new people there tonight," Talia said as she and Tori walked slowly through the halls to their rooms. 

"We'll need each and every one of them," Tori replied grimly. 

Talia nodded and started to consider something. She seemed to hesitate before she spoke. "I don't like that Anzeka woman, Ri," she said softly. "She…feels bad." 

Tori scowled blackly at the floor, anger flickering to life as she remembered one of the _very_ few women she had hated on sight. Anzeka was the second niece to Jaenelle's birth family who had managed to worm her way into the Keep through a childhood friendship with Wilhelmina. Instantly she had latched onto Daemonar and made subtle and not-so-subtle advances towards him. 

Tori had been a bit surprised that her first reaction was a territorial one. Daemonar was _her_ male. And the little Opal-Jeweled witch hadn't even acknowledged her dominance! She had to work to keep her fury under tight control and the males from suspecting anything. 

"Nor do I," Tori growled. "I'm keeping an eye on her, Li, don't worry." 

Talia looked up at her sister. "You don't like her getting so close to Daemonar, do you?" 

Tori gritted her teeth. "He didn't seem to mind her…company. What he does with his personal life is none of my concern." 

Talia tilted her head considering the statement. "You care," she stated. "Daemonar didn't like her either, you know." 

Good, Tori thought fiercely, refraining from saying it out loud. 

It had taken her almost the entire evening, but she had finally been able to admit it to herself. She was jealous of her. Jealous that Anzeka could flirt freely with Daemonar when she couldn't. 

Which, of course, led to Tori having to think about _why_ it would matter that she couldn't flirt with him. And the deeply unsettling discovery that she had, subconsciously, discovered the male to fill the place of Consort by her side. 

Oh, boy, she thought, making her way to her room after saying good night to Talia. Telling him her decision was _not_ going to be the easiest thing to get out. And he could still refuse her… 

Tori firmly pushed all thoughts of Consorts firmly out of her mind. She had more important things to consider. She glanced over at her bed longingly. But not tonight, she amended. She would think tomorrow. 

  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  


By the time dawn broke across the horizon, Tori had been lying awake in her bed for hours, thinking. They would attack today, she was sure of it. She could feel them coming in her bones. So she would need to make the Offering today as well. But there were the new people to consider. She needed to be spending time with them, getting to know and trust them. 

Still, that was the least of her concerns. She could set up her Court _after_ Kaeleer was safe from her father. Besides, some might die in this battle, so it would be easier if she didn't form any more attachments to anyone else. 

Getting up, Tori dressed quickly and headed downstairs to help with breakfast, as usual. What she found there was enough to shove the gloomy thoughts out of her mind completely and place her firmly in a good mood. Talia and her duo of friends were sprinkled in flour and other various food products. But what was most funny was Surreal, in the midst of it all, covered in the powdery white substance, grinning and joking with the other three. The Brat, it seemed, was dead. 

Tori spotted Mrs. Beale coming back into the room and regarding the mess with harried amusement. 

"Dare I ask if there's anything cooked?" Tori asked at length. 

Talia grinned, rubbing at the spot of flour at the tip of her nose. "There's bread and fruit on the counter over there." 

Tori followed her sister's powdered hand to the only table in the room not dusted white. There was a light shield over the food that kept it from being soiled in the baking fiasco Talia had initiated. Tori reached through the shield and plucked a few rolls before returning to the kids. 

"What happened here?" Tori asked curiously. 

Talia frowned at her sister, as if it should be obvious. "We're cooking," she said, her expression daring Tori to dispute that. 

"Ah," Tori said, glancing at Mrs. Beale briefly. "I see." 

"It wouldn't have been this messy," Melivian explained, "but _Talia_ accidentally tipped the thing of flour on Surreal." 

"I _told_ them it was too heavy," Talia said plaintively. 

"Then Surreal threw a handful of flour at Tal to get her back," Melivian continued, grinning widely, "but she hit Dejan when Tal ducked out of the way. And… then it kind of escalated into an all-out flour war for a little while." 

Tori looked at Mrs. Beale in mild surprise. "And you allowed this?" 

"Children will be children," Mrs. Beale clucked, busily wiping up the mess. "Now, away with you. Everyone. I need to start breakfast." 

They left, splitting into small groups as they headed into the dinning room. Talia and Tori walked off to a smaller table to talk quietly while Surreal, Melivian, and Dejan chose seats at another table. 

"Surreal seems to have unbent a lot," Tori began casually, watching the three of them talking and laughing. 

Talia smiled. "It seems you both have," she countered. "Surreal is associating with half-breeds and finding it much to her liking, and you, dear sister, are associating with males, of whom you had sworn you would always hate and mistrust, and even going so far as to form a Court with them and your fellow Sisters. To say nothing about your progress with Mother." 

"Yes, yes," Tori said irritably. "We're all growing and becoming better, softer, people." 

Talia grinned, glancing up towards the doorway, then back at her sister. "Oh, I think you'll always stay sharp, Ri." 

Tori glanced behind her and felt her relaxed, good mood slip away. It was getting late in the early morning and everyone was coming downstairs. Including Anzeka, who was latched onto Daemonar's arm quite tightly. The Eyrien's expression was one of such controlled anger that Tori almost felt sympathetic towards the intrusive woman. 

Daemonar headed for the table, the irritating woman smiling at everyone already seated. Again, Anzeka sat beside Daemonar, refusing to acknowledge Tori. Tori gnashed her teeth together, torn between leaving it be and unleashing her jewels on the bitch. She could feel the angry and hostile waves beginning to rise from the other occupants of the table, and made up her mind. 

Tori stood, took a step around Daemonar, and jerked the woman from her seat. Anzeka let out a frightened squeak, barely able to stay on her feet. The room became silent as everyone noticed Tori about to make a ruling on the Opal-Jeweled witch. 

"There is no place for you at my table," Tori told her clearly, capturing her eyes. "If you attempt to sit here or cause any of my males distress again, I will do things to you that you never knew existed." She looked deeper into Anzeka's eyes, letting the woman see the empty place where her conscience was supposed to be. She was pleased when the foolish bitch paled a bit. 

"Y-You can't do anything to me!" Anzeka said, glancing around. "T-This is Jaenelle's Court! And besides," she smiled secretively at Daemonar, "the company was willing enough." 

Daemonar was on his feet and reaching for the fool before anyone could think to react. Tori waited a moment, smiling slightly as his hands closed in a bruising grip around her arms. Reluctantly, she reached out and grabbed his arm lightly. 

"Daemonar," Tori warned him. 

The Eyrien bared his teeth at Anzeka, but dropped her arm. He turned to Tori, his eyes flashing angrily. "Lady." 

Tori returned his gaze impassively, as emotionless as her Jewels. Daemonar looked away first, stalking out of the room. Lucifer looked from the empty doorway to Tori, who nodded. That was all the permission he needed to go after his Brother. 

That settled, Tori turned to the root of the trouble. "Know this, Anzeka," she said in a smooth, casual tone. "I am going to go to Jaenelle and petition for your execution. If you harm any of my males, in any way, before I receive her decision, I will make you _beg_ for Hell." 

Anzeka was now pale and shaking with fear. She looked around the silent dinning room and found no sympathetic eyes. Now, now that it was too late, she recognized how grave her error was in brushing Tori aside. This was not merely a powerful witch. Not merely a Queen that would wear the Ebony. This woman was second only to Witch. 

She was going to die. 

"No!" She cried, reaching out for her. "Please, I beg of you-" 

She was interrupted when Lucivar burst through the doors, followed by a grim Damonar and Lucifer. Tori stiffened at the urgent and stifled fear in their psychic scents and waited for them to come to her. 

"It has begun," Lucivar said softly. "Jaenelle wishes to speak with you in her room." 

Tori nodded sharply before turning to Talia. "Stay here, Tal, and finish your breakfast." 

Talia stood, her jaw clenched tightly. "I want to come with you." 

Tori snarled at her. "You will remain _here_, Talia." She turned on Lucia. "You will see to that, Lucia." 

"Yes, Lady," the young witch said respectfully. 

Tori turned on her heel and followed the three boys out of the room. They were silent for the trip there, and she could feel how tense the air grew the further they headed towards Witch's room. 

It was time, she thought, the tension finding a happy home deep in her chest. Time to face her fears. And her father. 

  
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AN: There! Okay, this was the hardest part. Assigning the roles of the Court and developing new characters. -.- Not really much of an excuse, but…there you have it. The next chapter…I can at least promise it will be up much sooner than this one. Hehehe. The final battle is upon us! See you there! 

A/A/N: I just realized, two minutes before posting, that I never thanked you readers for reviewing! Mother Night! What _could_ I have been thinking?! Anywho. You guys are all that's keeping me going on this story now, okay? You are the real live muses that must keep me inspired to continue writing!! You must review! And if that sparks no immediate action, E-MAIL ME! Bother me. Poke at me. THREATEN me!! In short: Bully me into doing my job. ^.^ 

ATTENTION reviewers: 

THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!!!!! *ahem* I think that about covers it. _Ja ne! _

  
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	11. Chapter Eleven

A/N: HA!! See?! I told you it wouldn't take as long! Sadly, though, this is one of my shortest chapters yet. -.- sorry about that. 

In any case, I have a big THANK YOU for **Daughter of Night** who is the main reason I even bothered to post this much so soon. ^.^ Or even at all! 

Enjoy! 

Chapter 11

The group in Witch's room was small, holding only Daemon, Saetan, Daemonar, Lucifer, and Lucivar. Tori looked around the group grimly, finding Witch seated at her worktable, her hands absently sifting through ingredients and potions. 

"Where are the others?" Tori asked, remaining where she was until Witch turned to her. 

"They've gone to join the battle against the General," she said, motioning for Tori to sit down. "We must discuss a plan of action." 

Tori sat down and nodded. She glanced at Lucivar and Lucifer. "I assume the actual battle plans have been drawn out." 

Lucivar nodded. "We can take care of holding them off. But because there's so many of them, _all_ males will have to fight." 

Tori tried to ignore the twinge of panic at picturing Daemonar going out against them. He was Eyrien. There was no possible way she could even begin to keep him from battle. It would be like denying him half his soul. 

"Lucifer, Daemonar, and I are going out on the next wave. Tonight," Lucivar continued mildly, shooting Daemon a hard glare. "While Father and Daemon stay here for what's to come." 

Daemon snarled softly, but otherwise stayed silent. Tori wondered how long it had taken Lucivar to beat his brother into submission in that area. Again her chest seemed to tighten for a moment, but she pushed it away. More important matters needed to be thought through. 

"And while the boys are out holding them at bay," Tori concluded, "I'm going to be making my Offering, right?" 

Witch nodded. "Normally, an Offering is made from sunrise to sunset, lasting an entire day." 

"How long did it take you?" Tori asked. 

"Three days." 

Tori frowned as she thought. "Since I'm about half-way between your power, and the Black, we can estimate about two days." She turned to Lucivar. "Can you hold out for that long?" 

Lucivar nodded grimly. "We're strong enough to last three days of head-on fighting with no rests. You'll have all the time you need." 

"I will be preparing the spells and webs we'll need," Witch said. "To both destroy all of them, and fix the Winds so they cannot return." 

Tori nodded. "Good." She looked around the room, feeling the tension. "So what's the problem?" 

This seemed to be all the opening the males needed to release whatever was weighing on them. Lucifer and Daemonar leapt to their feet, snarling and talking at once. 

"Do you have any idea how risky this is?" Lucifer demanded. "Never mind how _taxing_ the Offering is, even at full strength! But if you are disturbed during your Offering, there could be _unimaginable_ consequences!" 

"I don't know," Tori said mildly. "I can imagine quite a few things." 

"This isn't a joking matter!" Daemonar snarled at her. "With your father here, he will have guessed that you'd try to make the Offering!" 

Tori nodded sagely. "And he'll most likely have a plan put together to get to me during that time." She leveled Daemonar, who she had avoided looking at since she entered, with an unsmiling stare. "This is where you come in." 

"I don't like this," Daemonar growled under his breath. 

"It's war," Tori informed him coldly. "_No one_ likes it." She turned to Witch. "What time do we meet, and where?" 

"Midnight," Jaenelle said evenly. "We'll meet in Papa's study, so I can explain a few things to you before you go in." 

"Alright," Tori agreed. She thought a moment, glanced at Daemonar, and decided not to offer to go out on the battlefield in the meantime. In the state he was in now, Tori was worried he might burst an important blood vessel. 

"I think I'll go a few rounds with one of the boyos, then," Tori said. 

Suddenly, she was very glad she hadn't mentioned going out to fight an actual battle. With the look Daemonar was giving her now, he would have at least had a seizure. His golden eyes glowed menacingly while his large wings snapped out, unconsciously blocking her only escape. 

"Um…maybe I'll just…prepare more blood and jeweled webs," Tori tried tentatively. 

Lucifer crossed his arms over his chest and moved to stand beside Daemonar. "Try again," he stated, glaring at her. 

Tori narrowed her eyes. "I could weave a tangled web to check on things," she stated with careful calm. 

"Not until you're properly trained," Jaenelle objected. "It's too big a risk. Even for you." 

Daemonar and Lucifer looked smug. 

"Well, then," Tori snapped, "I suppose I could always add my strength to the battle." 

Daemonar instantly stepped directly in front of her, grabbing her arm in a firm grip. "Absolutely not!" He growled. 

Tori watched emotions flick through his eyes. Anger, worry, and a dim fear that she would ignore him and leave anyway. She felt a stab of remorse at causing that, but quickly shoved it to the side. 

"I'm not going to just-" 

Tori broke off with a startled yip as Daemonar's grip on her shifted and she found herself staring down at the ground from over his right shoulder. For a long moment, she just laid there, too surprised to do much of anything other than blink. 

"Yes," Daemonar informed her calmly as he walked towards the door, "you are." 

Daemon, Lucivar, Saetan, and Lucifer were studiously looking anywhere _but_ at Tori and Daemonar. Jaenelle was watching them with gentle amusement. They would make a great couple, she decided. 

Tori said nothing as Daemonar left the room and headed up towards her own place. After batting away a few of his feathers, Tori shot the back of his head an irritated look. 

"As long as you seem bent on resorting to the caveman method," she said bitingly, "do you mind getting your wings out of my face?" 

"Oh." Daemonar sounded surprised, and then he shrugged slightly. "Sure." 

With that, Tori, just as abruptly as before, found herself cradled in his arms, one of his arms under her legs and one supporting her back. She blinked up at him, and the superior smirk he wore, and to her great surprise, had to fight back a sudden blush. Not knowing what else to do, Tori settled for glaring at him and uttering something derogative about male thought process. 

"I _have_ legs you know," Tori gripped as they came up to her room. 

Daemonar's smirk grew into a smile. "You never asked me to set you down." 

With that, he set her down on the bed and pulled back. Tori glared up at him again, this time furious with herself. He was right. She hadn't even demanded him to let her go _once._

It was obvious _why_ she hadn't said anything, a part of her whispered to her. Tori enjoyed being held by this prickly Eyrien a little too much. As a matter of fact… 

Tori abruptly shoved away the thoughts and stood, glaring furiously at Daemonar. The warrior only smiled back at her arrogantly. She stood there for a long moment, watching him. When he made no move to leave, or say anything, Tori gave him an impatient look. 

"Shouldn't you be getting ready to go out?" Tori demanded, crossing her arms. 

The smile disappeared as Daemonar grew serious. "Yes, I should." 

"Then why are you still here?" Tori growled, narrowing her eyes at him. 

Daemonar hesitated a moment. "I not," he replied, turning and leaving the room. 

"Daemonar," Tori felt the name leave her lips before she could think. 

The Eyrien paused and turned back to her, his golden eyes blank. "Yes?" 

Tori looked away, swallowing. "You…" She clenched her jaw and looked back up at him. "You still owe me that fight, Daemonar," she said, calling up the willpower to smirk. "And I want you in top condition. So don't get yourself hurt too badly." 

Daemonar seemed a bit surprised at this, then he smiled, and something about him seemed to soften. "As my lady wishes," he murmured, not quite sounding as facetious as he normally did when he said things like that. Tori caught a flash of heat in the molten gold orbs before he had turned away and left the room. 

Tori closed her eyes and bit her lip to keep from calling out to him again as the door opened and shut. To keep from pleading with him not to leave. She was a warrior too, and she knew what it felt like to be denied a battle because of emotions. He didn't deserve that. 

_Mother Night,_ Tori prayed, looking at her door sightlessly. _Protect him. Don't let Daemonar die on me._

  


***********

  


Tori followed Draca, the Keep's Senchal, into a large room, absolutely devoid of anything but an alter directly across from the door on the other side of the room. It was just a few minutes until dawn, and Jaenelle's warning was still fresh on her mind. 

"Don't _try_ to do anything," she had said. "You'll know what needs to be done when you descend." 

But that was secondary to the other emotions that flew around in Tori's mind and heart. Much to her disappointment, most of those revolved around her winged warrior Daemonar. He would be meeting the enemy now, she thought. He could be getting cut to pieces as she just _stood_ in an empty room, and did _nothing_. 

With an irritated growl Tori pushed all thoughts from her mind. She strode towards the altar and examined it. It was a small thing, a little bigger than a small table, with just enough room for a small pool of what looked like black water. Tori knelt on the padded knee-rest just in front of the altar and peered into the inset bowl. Placing her hands on either side of it, Tori took a deep, relaxing breath and gradually dropped each one of her guards and walls she had built up over the years of pain and suffering. 

Each time she opened another part of herself, the water seemed to shimmer a little, and rise. The walls around her seemed to disappear, and reality faded as slowly, so very slowly, Tori was pulled into the coolness of the Abyss. About the time she had relieved herself of most of her shields, Tori figured out that what was in the bowl was not dark water. She watched as it flowed over the bowl's edge and down the altar's sides. It flowed like a thick mist, and when it touched Tori, she felt her mind reel. 

Abruptly she was no longer in the room at SaDiablo Hall. The cool not-water had covered her completely, drowning her and lifting her higher all at once. Everything became confused as Tori lost all sense of direction. She couldn't even tell if she was still kneeling. Her entire being, freed from her self-imposed constraints, flowed out and around. 

Gradually she became aware of the jewel colors all around her, shimmering as bright as the sun. Almost absently, Tori began to descend through the ranks, deeper and deeper. 

It wasn't until she had passed through the Opal web that she became aware of any kind of resistance against her. It grew stronger and stronger the further she went. By the time she reached the Black, it was like wading through molasses. She struggled against it, pushing through to reach the Ebony. As she did, memories surfaced from the Abyss. 

  
***

  


_Talia looked up at her, her eyes shining with joy and innocence. Tori returned her look somberly. _

"You did it, Tori!" Talia exclaimed. "He's all gone!" 

Tori only nodded silently, still a little sore from the battle against her father. 

Talia laughed and began to dance around the living room. "We're free. We're free. We're free!" She chanted, giggling. 

Looking at her, Tori knew that as long as she was able to draw a breath, she would protect her little sister, and do her best to preserve the young innocence that glowed in her eyes. 

  
***

  


Gritting her teeth, Tori again pushed against the barrier between the Black and the Ebony. She felt it give, and put everything she was into it. For Talia, she thought fiercely. For her innocence. 

The barrier gave a little more. 

And another memory surfaced from within Tori's mind. 

  
***

  
__

Kaelin stood before her for the first time, looking up at her in the garden. 

"Blood," he said. "The male represents the Blood males. Protectors. Defenders." 

He looked smug at Tori's skepticism. "You'll see." 

  
***

  


And she had, Tori realized, feeling more of the force against her fade. These males, so completely unlike those she had known before, thought only to protect her. Both from others who might harm her, and herself, who more often did the most harm. And, slowly, she had come to trust them. Tori could accept their protection now, where before she would have thrown it back in their faces. 

Clenching her jaw, Tori pushed more. For the males, she thought. For those who stuck beside me, no matter how mean I was to them. For their protection. 

The shield shuddered and gave even more. 

A final, last memory came to her, the deciding factor in Tori's battle. 

  
***

  


_Daemonar stood close to her, his large black wings fanned out to keep the chill from her. The warmth of his body reached her, making her blush._

  
***

  


The barrier cracked a little. 

  
***

  


_Tori looked up at Daemonar, her heart pounding and her mouth so full of things she wanted to say to him that she couldn't risk opening her lips. His eyes flared down at her, the liquid gold holding something like contained emotion. Something that made her heart pound faster for that brief moment._

  
***

  


Tori felt her resolve solidify and used it to blast through the last of the barrier. She _would_ do this, she thought. She _would_ achieve the darkest form of Ebony she could. Not just for Talia's protection. Not for the ones that restored her faith in people as a whole. Not even just for Daemonar, who was, all without knowing, showing her how to feel with her heart again. She would take what was her birthright, and what she was destined for, for herself. To prove to _herself_ that she was great, and had the power to make things right in the world for others to live in. 

Suddenly the world around her shattered again, and this time, Tori felt the dark power of Ebony enveloping her. She shivered, reaching as far into the darkness that was hers as she could. She could feel something just at her fingertips. Something smooth and hard like a Jewel. 

But just as she touched it, and explosion sounded around her. The delicate balance that held Tori suspended wherever she was shook. Reflexively, her hand closed around her Offering, sealing the ritual and completing the trial. 

Abruptly, the world around her changed back into the room at SaDiablo Hall, and Tori found herself still kneeling before the altar. Now, though, the bowl was empty of the darkness. In it's place glowed three uncut Jewels, one of which Tori held gripped tightly in her hand, and one set Jewel in a diadem the size of a quarter, maybe a little larger. 

Vanishing them all, Tori stood, not surprised that she felt so very weak. Looking around, she remembered the explosion that almost cost her her Offering. Frowning slightly, she made her way towards the door. It was almost certain that it had been her father, trying to stop her descent. 

But what worried her was how he got close enough to do it. Daemonar, Lucivar, and the others were supposed to be out there keeping him away. If her father had scored a hit on the Keep, then that meant that he had gotten past their defenses. Which meant… 

As soon as Tori exited the room, she was met with Draca's unsmiling face. The woman seemed more somber than normal, which did nothing to help ease Tori's growing anxiety. She led the way silently to Saetan's study, where Jaenelle, Saetan, and Daemon sat waiting. 

Jaenelle stood as they entered and looked at Tori, nodding. "Good," she murmured. "You were able to go deep into the Ebony." 

"What's happened to the ranks?" Tori demanded, working to keep the worry from her voice and posture. "How was the General able to get past them?" 

"We don't know," Saetan replied when Jaenelle and Daemon remained silent. "We were just about to find out when you came in." 

"We have our spells to finish," Jaenelle reminded Tori gently. "Come." 

Tori hesitated, wanting desperately to hear that Daemonar was safe. Still, duty called to her, and that was more important than her emotions. She followed Jaenelle out of the room and down to her workroom. 

Hours passed as they struggled with the power it took to properly weave the spell that would reform the Darkness itself. As promised, over the days Tori had been in the room making her Offering, Jaenelle had more or less pieced together the spell, and Tori was able to fill in the details. 

What it came down to in the end, Tori reflected as they finished the planning and the webs, was that, essentially, all they had to do was make temporary copies of the Winds, hook them in place of the actual Winds at the Black Mountain, untangle the true Winds, and hook them back to Ebon Askavi again. It was like repairing a shirt with a hole in it. 

Simple? Not even close. 

What the main problem was that their clones of the Winds would last no more than one minute. Running through a trial Jaenelle had constructed, Tori had determined that, while it could be done, it was going to take everything they had. They would be emptying their jewels into this, and possibly their lives. They both agreed that if that happened, the resulting peace would be well worth it. 

Finally, almost a week after Tori had gone in to make her Offering, they were done. Jaenelle and Tori emerged from the workroom in search of food and information. They found both in the dinning room waiting on them. 

"Well?" Tori demanded, holding off on getting her food until she heard about what had been happening. 

Lucivar set a large plate in front of her. "Eat." 

Tori snarled at him, her temper sharp. "Tell me what happened on the battlefield." 

"Eat first. Talk later," came his reply. 

Seeing that he was not about to be moved by anything she said, Tori submitted and inhaled her food almost faster than they could follow. When, less than fifteen minutes later, the table was bare of the gigantic feast, and both Tori and Jaenelle were stuffed, Saetan shifted forward to speak. 

"They have driven the General and his forces back," Saetan said calmly. "As a matter of fact, they say their forces withdrew earlier this morning. The boyos are on their way back now." 

"Casualties?" Jaenelle asked softly. 

Saetan looked down at his half-eaten meal. "You'll always have casualties in war, Lady. I don't know everyone's names, but I do know that the last force that went in was hit the hardest and suffered the most. All in all, though, the damage was mild considering…" 

Tori stopped listening, the roaring in her ears making her deaf to him. She kept replaying Saetan's last words over in her mind. Last force…suffered the most… The last force. The one Daemonar had left on. Her heart twisted violently as her thoughts followed the inevitable thought to its end. Could…Could her cocky Eyrien really be dead? 

Tori closed her eyes tightly, her heart feeling as though it was being run through. 

_…Daemonar…_

  
********************************

  


A/N: Heheheheheh. An evil place to stop, I know. However, the next chapter is going to have the reunion of the survivors, and old places are going to need filling again. So…who do you think dies? Hm? Because, surely, I wouldn't be so evil as to kill of Daemonar, right? ::smiles angelically:: 

Big THANKYOU to everyone who has reviewed!!!!!!! Your comments are treasured and I hope that you continue to review! The next chapter should be out about this same time-length. If not sooner. We'll see what cards I'm dealt this time around. 

Ja matta ne, readers!!!!!! 


	12. Chapter Twelve

A/N: ::smiles hesitantly:: Hi all! Yes, it's true! I am officially _back from the dead!!_ ^.^ Unfortunately, this is gonna be another short chapter. But, hey. Better than nothing, ne? 

I'm not particularly proud of this chapter. (To be bluntly honest, I don't like it.) Still, I'd appreciate it if you suffered through it and told me your views. Pretty please? 

A million thanks to everyone who reviewed. You people are the ones getting this story out, since I have evidently lost my drive. ^.^` In any case, lots of affection! Try not to flame overly much. Ja! 

  


  


**Chapter 12**

  


"Lucifer's just reported in," Saetan said suddenly into the silence. 

Tori sat at attention, waiting. They had retired to the living room when they had finished dinner, and Tori sat curled up against the arm of the long couch. Saetan was, in all appearances, calmly catching up on his paperwork at the small desk. Jaenelle, also, seemed preoccupied with other things. 

However, when Saetan made that announcement, all appearances dropped and the High Lord of Hell found himself under the intense scrutiny of two powerful women. 

"They just took the winds to get here," Saetan continued, looking weary suddenly. "The ladies will need to prepare for some heavy casualties, Lady." 

"Do you know who was killed?" Jaenelle asked in a carefully empty voice. 

Saetan hesitated for a long moment before turning to Tori. "Lady…" 

Tori's shoulders tightened, the only thing that betrayed her sudden anxiety. She gazed at Saetan, her blank, uncaring mask sliding over her features for the first time in a long while. Looking at the High Lord, Tori forced her emotions and feelings behind a solid wall, preparing herself not to feel the pain. It didn't matter, she chanted to herself. They were males. They didn't… 

"Well?" Tori demanded, her voice harsh. 

"I regret to inform you, Lady Tori," Saetan continued formally, "of your Head of Guard's death." 

Tori twitched, but otherwise remained unaffected. "Who else?" 

Saetan silently stood and handed her a sheet of paper. For a moment, Tori hesitated, knowing what was on the sheet of parchment. Taking a deep breath, she looked down and felt reality around her reel. She grabbed desperately at the arm of the couch and closed her eyes, not knowing if she was going to start screaming or crying. 

When she felt that she had a measure of control again, Tori sat back and once again looked at the two lists. They were both, mercifully, short. To the left, in Saetan's precise, neat handwriting, was the list of those in her court who had died in battle. Kontar was a blow. She had only just begun to truly bond to him, and now he was dead. And Lex would need some desperate solace for the loss of Maeve, her twin. Tori recalled the young man's shy, eager-to-please nature and winced deep inside. 

The second list was of the injured, in which there were more. Merrick took a blade to his left shoulder, and had exhausted much of his Jewel strength. Tori was more than certain Lucia would take care of him, and berate him on overtaxing himself as well. Arahn, Prothivar, Sathe, and Rine, had minor injuries. Major enough to merit fussing, though. 

But none of that was enough to make Tori's carefully placed control vanish like it had. As deeply concerned as she was of their well being, it was the name she had feared to see most of all. Daemonar. And it was nowhere on the black-marred white paper. The relief of it had hit her with the force of a physical blow. He was okay, she thought, dizzy for a moment with the euphoria. Daemonar was okay. 

Tori rose without a word and sent herself from the room. She didn't care what they thought of her abrupt departure, only that they not be around to see her emotions spilling out. Relief, grief, and pain chased each other in a seemingly endless circle. 

A half hour later, Tori pulled herself from her thoughts and went to seek out her court. She knew, without question, that they had gathered in the healing rooms, some as patients and others as the Healers. 

Inside, everyone was busy either administering the potions or snarling at the males to rest. Tori wordlessly started in to help them, a coldness seeping into her bones. These males, these people, had fought for her. To the death, for Kontar and Maeve. It still seemed unreal to Tori, to possess such loyalty without earning it. 

There wasn't much to be done, with the exception of bullying the men into taking the rest of the day for rest. Even then it wasn't much of a battle, since all Tori did was look at them with the strange new sadness her eyes held, and say please. None had the heart to refuse her. 

That night, Tori sat balanced on the ledge of the window, staring sightlessly out into the back yard. Tears made two steady streams down her cheeks over the hours since she had come to sit here. She listened as Witch sang a gentle song of soothing, a song made to heal the wounds of the soul, or at least make them more bearable. And it help. She had skipped dinner, not surprised to find her stomach revolting at the thought of a meal. 

Tori tensed when her door opened and someone entered silently. The psychic scent of Daemonar teased at her, and Tori listened to his heavy footfalls as he moved surely about her room, and the light tinkling sound of silver hitting against silver. The aroma of a well-cooked meal filled her room, making her stomach retch almost violently. 

"Eat." 

Tori ignored the soft command, and returned her attention to the night. 

"You have to eat something," Daemonar stated, beginning to sound irritated. 

"It wouldn't stay down," Tori replied quietly. "So what's the point?" 

Daemonar was silent for a long time, and after a moment, Tori felt him come to stand just behind her shoulder. "Lady, he was a good man, and a strong warrior. He died with honor for his Queen. There is no better way to die." 

"Old age," Tori replied immediately. "He shouldn't have been there." She paused a minute before adding, almost voicelessly, "We shouldn't be here." 

Daemonar's hand closed over her shoulder almost convulsively. "Don't say that," he growled harshly. He softened his tone a little. "My Lady, please. Do not say such things again." 

This was something new from Daemonar, Tori thought absently. The arrogant Eyrien saying please. She said nothing for a long time, and merely sat there, letting the tears make their way down her face, with Daemonar's hand on her shoulder. Throughout all of this, the tears never stopped 

Daemonar jerked when the first drop landed on his hand, perhaps realizing for the first time that she was crying. Tori didn't know what he would think, and tried to stop the salty drops. They continued to come. Mercifully, though, her formidable shielding still held her emotions away from the prickly Eyrien. 

Tori gave an unsteady chuckle, scrubbing at the tears with the back of her hand. "It's funny. They just…won't stop," she said, not meeting his eyes as she tried to suppress a sob. 

Daemonar looked down at his Queen, at Tori, in shock as she struggled so hard to hold herself together. He golden eyes grew dark with worry as she seemed to sway a little on the railing. 

Hardly aware of making a decision, Daemonar half sat, half leaned against the railing next to her, and pulled Tori into his lap, wrapping her firmly, safely, in his arms. 

"It's alright to cry," he murmured gently. "It's alright. I'll hold you until you're done." 

Tori shuddered against his chest before surrendering to everything and doing as her Eyrien commanded. She wrapped her arms around his neck as an anchor, and felt his arms tighten on her waist. And she cried. She sobbed all of her grief and pain and anger into Daemonar's soft leather shirt until she felt too tired to even think. 

Finally, the tears slowly, and the numbing pain in her heart eased. The feel and smell of Daemonar holding her helped to heal the places Jaenelle's song hadn't been able to reach earlier. 

"Better?" Daemonar asked hoarsely when she had been silent for a few minutes. 

Tori nodded slightly against his shirt, not wanting to particularly move. She realized from his voice that she hadn't been the only one to grieve. 

"Good." 

With that, Tori was only mildly surprised when Daemonar swept her up and carried her to bed. She lay against him silently, and wondered if she would ever find the courage to give him the only ring she had left to give out to a member of her court. 

Tori winced as she silently amended that. She now had two rings to give out. The one she wanted to belong to Daemonar, and the one that belonged to her new Head of Guard. 

"Tori…" 

Tori blinked away from her thoughts and looked up at Daemonar for the first time that evening. His face seemed taunt and there were deep, dark bags under his eyes. She frowned at him, wanting to rebuke him, but knowing she was in no position to point fingers. 

"We both need to get some sleep," Tori said quietly, looking away again. 

Daemonar gently pulled the covers over her, and then scowled blackly at her when she sat up, feeling at a disadvantage with him looming over her. 

His scowl turned to a worrying frown. "Are you going to be okay now?" He asked her, using a knuckle to brush at drying tears. 

"I'll live until tomorrow," Tori whispered, feeling a blush building in her cheeks. 

"I'm counting on that," Daemonar said lowly, leaning closer to her slightly. 

Tori's eyes seemed to grow impossibly large as she sat there watching him. But all he did was brush his lips across her temple. The blush she had been fighting back returned worse than before, and Tori glanced down, letting her hair fall over her shoulders and cheeks. 

Daemonar rose and left without a word, but as he left the room, letting the door slide shut quietly behind him, he grinned at empty hallway. Who would have thought that the Lady Tori, with her standoffish attitude and outright cold demeanor in regards to the males, could blush from a simple gesture? And what a lovely blush she had, he thought. He would have to remember to bring it up again. 

Daemonar Lucivar SaDiablo was a man who knew what he wanted. He was an Eyrien who loved the thrill of the chase and battle. And Tori, he had long decided, was the only woman he wanted to chase. But it would have to be a careful hunt, he told himself. She couldn't know what the game was. Not yet. 

With another grin, Daemonar went in search for his father and namesake. He would need their advice in this. 

  


  
*****************************************

  


  
A/N: ::makes a face:: I really didn't like the way this one turned out. It seems too disjointed in my mind. But you all wanted another chapter. So…bleh. I'll probably tear it down and repost it later. In any event, I'll give a cookie to whoever can guess who the next Head of Guard will be! ^.^ Awww……c'mon. It's not hard. (I'm not at all that great with subtlety. ~.~) 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Hi everybody! Yes, you're seeing this! It's really here! 

~It's really short.~ 

:p That's beside the point. I owe my Sister a HUGE debt for never getting mad at me. So, I decided to write this little (little being the key word here, folks.) chapter with Daemonar. So, yeah. Here it is. Sorry. Nothing grand.   
  


Chapter 13

  


Daemon looked up from his game with Lucivar to stare at his namesake. "You what?" 

Lucivar chuckled, making his move while his old friend was distracted. "Come on, old son. You can't say you didn't expect this." 

Daemon grumbled, studied the board, and moved a piece, taking one of his opponents out. "Still, if Jaenelle found out…" 

"What's there to find out?" Daemonar demanded, crossing his arms. "I just want some advice on how to handle a situation." 

"Ah," Daemon lifted a finger, his eyes glued to the game board. "But it is a situation that involves seducing the fragile Toriana." 

Lucivar looked up at his son, frowning worriedly. "Do you think now is a good time to be doing this, Daemonar? She's just lost a valued member of her court, and will have to replace him before too long. Do you think she needs more on her plate than that?" 

Daemonar shifted uncomfortably. "It's not…so much piling more on her plate that it is…" He huffed, hating to be emotional around his respected family. "I just want to show her she doesn't need to go this alone." 

Daemon shrugged, smirking in victory as he cornered Lucivar's pieces. "Maybe she wants to do it alone. And let me tell you, when a woman like that wants to do something a certain way, not even the Hounds of Hell and Mother Night could dissuade her." 

"Speaking from experience, Bastard?" Lucivar chuckled, slipping out of Daemon's trap. 

"Che." Daemon ignored the question, although his cheeks burned a little from whatever memory floated to the surface. 

"Are you going to help or play games?" Daemonar growled, at the end of his finite patience. 

Daemon and Lucivar traded looks before dissolving into laughter. The game was forgotten for a minute as they doubled over in their chairs, weeping they were laughing so hard. 

"It seems you do need some help, son," Lucivar chortled, drawing himself up. 

"Since you don't seem to realize that helping to seduce a woman and playing an intricate game is often the same thing," Daemon concluded. 

Daemonar stepped closer, looking confused and intrigued. "What do you mean?" 

Lucivar motioned over a chair. "Come on, kid. Sit down and we'll try to help explain the finer points." He looked over to see Daemon rearranging the chess board. "I hope you remember where our pieces go, Bastard. I almost had you that time." 

Daemon snorted. "Not even close, Prick. Here, this is a good way to explain things." 

Daemonar looked at the chess board and it's pieces. Then he looked up at his father and uncle. "Women are like…chess?" 

Daemon shook his head. "The dance, boy. The dance is like chess. Millions of possible moves, a thousand different mistakes you'll probably make." 

Lucivar heaved a sigh, touching the Queen. "And if you leave an opening, even if it's not what you would call an opening, she'll get in there and…" he knocked the Queen over. "You lose." 

Daemon called in a bottle of liquor, three glasses, and sat back. "Get comfortable, boyo. This is going to take a while."  


  


  
~~~~~~~~That's all. Who knows. I may even write more.~~~~~~  



	14. Chapter Fourteen

A/N: Greetings and good day to all of you lovely readers! I have, due to certain threats and pleas, deigned to update once again. Yes! You are reading right! _I_ have updated. 

This chapter is relatively useless once you get past the beginning. Just another filler chapter really. However, more fun plot-type stuff is coming up in the next chapter! And this one does hold a certain sort of purpose. 

Please forgive me, though. I'm afraid I put all the characters very much Out Of Character. I'm not particularly pleased about this, but…there it is. 

I'm actually taking a poll right now. I was re-reading my earlier chapters and thinking over the reviews I got. I realized that: Wow! My chapters REALLY suck! And that the Jewel ranks for my characters are completely unbelievable. I remember someone reviewing to tell me just that, and I wanted to say thank you for that. It made me think more realistically about Bishop's characters and the fact that black jewels are extremely rare. I think I got just a bit black-happy, ne? ^.~ 

Anyway, about the poll. I'm re-doing the previous chapters to change a few things. Jewel ranks, attitudes, and small stuff like that to make the characters more…believable, I guess you could say. I was just wondering when you think I should do this. Now, while the inspiration is still fresh on my mind, or after I finish the fic? Review and let me know, okay? 

Thanks for sticking with me so long, all you loyals out there! It really means a lot! 

Oh! And **Daughter of Night?**

**_HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!_** (Otanjoubiomedetougozaimas!!) ^.^ 

Everyone say thank you to Daughter of Night. If she hadn't told me it was her birthday, I wouldn't have even started writing this chapter yet! 

And now…what you've been waiting for… 

  


  
Chapter 14

  
__

"My daughter..." 

Tori turned quickly, focusing on her father standing before her. This was no ordinary dream, she knew. This wasn't a memory or torment from the past. The man before her was her father, or a part of him. He'd invaded her dream. 

"What are you doing here?" She demanded with more confidence than she felt. 

The man walked up to her, smiling tenderly and reaching out to touch her cheek. Tori jerked back, avoiding the contact, and flung up an Ebon-Gray shield. 

"Come now," he chuckled, reaching out and shattering the shield. "Show me your true strength, daughter of mine." 

Tori glared at him. "I am no part of you," she growled. 

He laughed again. "Of course not," he agreed amiably. 

"What do you want?" She asked, not trusting how agreeing he was being. 

He spread his hands, smiling gently. "A reunion, dearest daughter. I've missed you and your sister Talia so. To say nothing of that whorish wife of mine. I thought you might want to help me arrange a meeting time." 

"Help you?" Tori spat. 

"Yes, help me. Is that so hard? Daughter normally jump at the chance to help their fathers. Good daughters, anyway." He watched her, smiling kindly. "Are you a good daughter, Tori? Don't you want to please your father?" 

Tori hesitated, her heart shaking with the fear he still managed to instill in her. "...Yes," she said softly. "I want to please my father." She smiled wryly at the man in front of her, who looked a little shocked by this admission. "I've put him through so much grief when he really never deserved it." 

The man started forward again, an eerie light shining in his eyes. "Yes! Daughter-mine! Come back to me, and all will be forgiven!" 

Tori gave him a weird look. "What are you talking about? I'm not talking about you. I speak of the father of my choosing. Saetan Daemon SaDiablo, High Lord of Hell. My mother's husband." 

The man took a step back in shock. "Wh-What? But, I..." 

Tori glared at him. "You are my enemy. You are the General. You are a man who does not have the decency to stay dead." 

The General's face darkened. "You bitch!" 

Tori smirked. "Only by preference. Now..." She gathered her Jeweled strength, reaching deep into her Ebony. "Get out!_" _

She unleashed the force against her enemy, the man that was once her father, and had the satisfaction of feeling his presence give way beneath it. 

"I still want that reunion, Daughter of mine!" He screeched, just before she completely erased him from her dreamscape. 

Tori stood panting slightly in the now-barren darkness. "We'll be waiting," she said softly. 

  


Tori sat up in bed with a sigh. "Asleep, awake, unconscious from exhaustion. When will that man leave me be?" 

*Your father?* Kaelin asked. 

Tori snorted. "Who else who have the balls to break into my dreams?" 

Kaelin shot her a look. *Are you asking who has the balls for it, or who has the Jewels for it?* 

Tori ducked her head to hide a grin. "Point taken," she agreed, thinking of certain other boyos who more than had the balls for it, if push came to shove. 

*You look better,* Kaelin ventured. 

Tori stopped as she walked across the floor for the bathroom. "I…feel a little better." 

It had been days since she'd vented her tears on Deamonar, and she'd ventured not far from her room since then. Still, the overwhelming depression had faded, and she found herself able to move past it. 

As a matter of fact… 

Tori called in two small black velvet cases. One held Kontar's ring, thoughtfully retrieved for her by Lucia. The other held the new Head of Guard ring that she was to give to the next one. The former she looped a thin silver chain through and tied around her neck, so she would always remember him and the sacrifice he made for her. 

The latter, however….Tori made a subtle mental sweep, searching for Lucifer's location. Perfect, she smiled. He was on his way back to his room now. She lifted the box, took a deep breath, sent a prayer to Mother Night, and the box to rest on the man's bed. She would have her answer within a few minutes. 

In the meantime, she decided, there were other changes she would mull over. First and foremost on her mind being Daemonar's strange behavior lately. Tori stood and began to pace as she thought, a frown pulling at her lips. 

"That man…" she murmured irritably. 

If it had been any other man, Tori would have thought he was flirting with her, and summarily decked him so hard he'd be eating through…parts best left unmentioned. But it was Daemonar, so the subject was touché. 

On the one hand, Tori desperately wanted to believe that he was acting like other men. That is, that he was actually flirting with her. Flirting entailed a general liking, right? It meant that, on some level, Daemonar found her attractive. Tori's heart skipped a beat each time she thought of that, and she felt herself blushing slightly. 

She shook her head. But, then, on the other hand…Flirting meant liking, which meant sex. Sex meant being naked with a man. In bed. Alone. Doing…things. Tori paled, fear gripping her as she thought of that. Even with Daemonar, it was a scary image. 

_Thanks to you, Father,_ Tori glared at the wall. It was all his fault. Darkness take the bastard. 

And, of course, Tori had developed this annoying and embarrassing habit of _blushing_ at all of Daemonar's come-ons. Naturally. 

"Ugh!" Tori flopped down in a chair disgustedly. "Why don't I just Craft a giant sign that says 'I like you!'?" 

Tori was suddenly stopped from saying anything else about herself as a soft shock trilled up her spine, down her right arm, and coil around her middle finger. She flushed, grinning with pleasure as she looked down at the black band. It seemed as though Lucifer had accepted her offer. Joy lit her heart for a moment, bright and clear, before settling down in the pit of her stomach, giving her a floaty feeling. 

Tori grinned, glancing at the small clock she had beside her work table, and jumped up in shock. 

"Hell's Fire!" She hissed, panicked. "Mother and Talia are waiting!" 

Racing out the door and down the hall, Tori smiled. Just as her little sister had hoped, Tori and their mother had grown closer. They'd never be the best of friends, granted, but Tori found her hatred for the woman who'd abandoned her growing less and less with each passing day. 

It was nice, having an older woman to talk to about personal things. Things Talia wasn't yet ready to hear about. And Tori suspected her mother thought along the same lines. For, while Tori may have been quite a bit younger, she was often subjected to her mother's woes and worries about her relationship with Saetan. Especially of late. 

Tori panted to a halt outside of Saetan's personal study before knocking briefly. The door opened and she went in to find just what she expected. Her mother and sister sitting together on the couch, pouring over a particular Craft book. 

"Still on the outs with Saetan, Mother?" Tori asked innocently. 

Lyra looked up, scowling at her elder daughter. "You're late, Toriana." 

"I lost track of time," she answer, unperturbed by the whip-snap in the woman's voice. "And I'll take that as a 'No, dear. Saetan and I are still having a little bit of a problem.'" 

Lyra huffed. "It's not _my_ fault the man's a completely unreasonable…_male_!" 

Tori smothered a giggle and took Lyra's other side. "Of course not, Mother. Now, about our Craft lesson…" 

As Lyra taught them, Tori let her mind drift back to what had happened yesterday morning, when the whole mess between Saetan and her mother had begun. She, of course, had heard it later from her mother what happened, so it was a little biased. But the gist of it was, apparently, Saetan had suggested that Lyra started getting out more. He suggested, in all innocence, that she take up training with the other ladies, or walks with the Kindred. 

Of course, her mother had not been in that good of a mood lately, and had rounded on Saetan with accusations. Did he think she needed exercise? Well, yes, he'd so foolishly answered, sealing his fate. So he thought she was getting fat? Her mother had snapped back. Or was it that she'd already grown so _largos_ that he couldn't stand the sight of her fat body anymore? 

The conversation had only gone downhill from there. Truthfully, Tori pitied Saetan. In touché subjects like a woman's weight, age, or looks, nothing a man said would get him out of trouble. 

And, really, if Saetan had just taken Lyra's outburst without saying anything, everything would be fine by now. Lyra would have sought out her lover later that very day and apologized. But…alas…Saetan had gotten angry. He'd yelled back, at first defending himself, and saying that he thought she looked beautiful. Then, when that didn't seem to do any good, he'd made the fatal mistake. His temper frayed to the breaking point, he said the only thing left open to him. From a male's point of view. He'd agreed with her. 

Tori had sat up late that night, thinking over their problem. Normally, she would have just left it to them to sort it out on their own. But Saetan seemed to have gotten himself well and truly stuck, and not even Jaenelle could explain why to him. It was like she'd said. Males and females speak different languages. 

Fortunately for them, Tori happened to be a bit fluent in male. She had thought long and hard about it, and had finally come up with a reasonably accurate example. Now all she had to do was track down Saetan, and find a volunteer. Preferably an Eyrien. 

After being dismissed from their lessons and promising to meet for lunch, Tori and Talia left the study, each with their own agenda. Talia, Tori knew, was going out to play with the Kindred. Tori was a little disappointed that it wasn't just the two of them anymore, but she was far more happy that Talia had friends she trusted now. And they still spent quality time together, mostly out in the gardens or in Tori's room. 

"Good luck with Uncle Saetan," Talia said as they reached the end of their walk together. 

"Thanks," Tori groaned. She gave a theatrical sigh. "How I get myself into these messes, I'll never know…" 

"Messes, Lady Tori?" Daemonar purred, appearing around the corner, fresh from the training fields. His bare chest shone and his hair, limp and damp clung to his face and shoulders. Golden eyes sparkled playfully. 

Tori looked away, clearing her throat nervously as she willed away another blush. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself, and looked back up at him, flashing him a smile. 

"Daemonar!" She cried happily. "Just the male I was hoping to run into." 

Daemonar blinked, taken by surprise. "I…am?" 

"Oh, most definitely," Tori nodded. "I need your help." 

Daemonar fell back a step, clearly not trusting her smile. "…What?" Mother Night, damn his blasted Eyrien courage! 

"I'll tell you about it while we find Saetan," Tori hedged. She winked at Talia, who winked back. Daemonar resisted the urge to panic. 

"Have fun, Sister!" Talia laughed. 

"Take care!" Tori called back, linking arms with Daemonar and drawing him away. 

They walked in silence for a little while, each enjoying the other's company. Tori waited for Daemonar to break the silence, as she knew he would. Until then, she was content to feel his warmth pressed along her side. 

"An interesting necklace you have," he commented warily, as though he wasn't quite sure he should mention it." 

Tori gave a small sigh, reluctantly withdrawing her arm from his to finger the chain. "I wanted to remember him," she said quietly. 

"We heard about Lucifer's new position," Daemonar commented. 

Tori grinned up at him. "I'm really relieved he accepted." 

Daemonar cocked an eyebrow at her. "Was there ever a doubt?" 

"Yes and no," Tori confessed. At Daemonar's looked she shoved her hands in her pockets with a sigh. "I was sure he'd take the ring. I mean, I trust him with my life, and more. But…I wouldn't have blamed him one bit if he'd turned it down, either. Seeing as how his predecessor hadn't lived that long after joining up with me…" 

Daemonar slipped an arm around her shoulders comfortingly. "It's different now," he assured her. "There hasn't even been a hint of a stir from the General in days." His eyes narrowed at the brief flash of guilt that crossed his Queen's face. "Right?" He stressed. 

Tori smiled weakly up at him. "Of course," she replied, avoiding his gaze. "Now, about what I need your help with," she said, changing the subject quickly. 

Daemonar glared at her, clearly suspicious, but willing to let it go just then. "It's about Uncle Saetan and Lyra's fight, isn't it?" 

Tori blinked up at him. "You know about that?" 

Daemonar chuckled. "Lovely, _everyone_ knows about their fight. _We_ can't understand why she's still mad, and the ladies can't explain it to us reasonably." 

"I'm sure they explained it perfectly reasonably," Tori defended her Sisters loyally. "However, I doubt that they explained it in male. That's why I'm here. I spent _hours_ last night trying to think of a male view of this, and _finally_ came up with a very vague example." 

"And you need me because…?" Daemonar asked, not liking this even more. 

"The example," Tori stated, as though it should have been obvious. "Eyriens are the best source for this." 

Daemonar's eyes narrowed to slits. "Do you mean to say we are most like women?" He asked dangerously. 

Tori realized her mistake a moment too late. "No! That's not how I meant it. I meant that you have things that, as an unspoken rule, are never asked between men, right?" 

"…Yes…" Daemonar said cautiously, his instincts urging him to get out of this before it was too late. 

Tori smiled up at him brilliantly. "I knew it! So, all we have to do is tie _your_ unmentionables in with Mother's, and Saetan should be able to grasp it." She considered this a moment. "That is, unless he's really just that dense." 

Daemonar's instincts were now howling, and he backed away. "No," he said flatly. 

Tori pouted. "Please, Daemonar? I don't want to ask one of the others." She gasped her courage in a strong hold and touched his arm lightly, gazing up at him hopefully. "Just this once. For me." 

Daemonar stared down at her and felt his resistance vanish faster than his father when Jaenelle cooked. He sighed, hanging his head. A sudden, devious idea hit him, making him lift his head and smile at her slyly. 

"Alright," he purred. "I'll help you however you want me to." 

Tori narrowed her eyes on him, always on guard against his sudden acquiescence. It usually meant he was thinking of something sneaky. "On what condition?" She demanded. 

Daemonar's smile grew. "Nothing too important," he said flippantly. "Just a kiss." 

Tori turned scarlet. "Wh-what?!" 

Daemonar held up his hands defenselessly. "All I want is a little kiss for helping you. It's not unreasonable, is it?" 

"N-no," Tori murmured, staring at the floor and praying Daemonar couldn't hear how loud her heart was beating. 

"Of course, you could always find one of the other boys to help you with Uncle Saetan," Daemonar mentioned. 

Tori was silent for a long moment, looking firmly at the smoothly tiled floor. "Okay," she whispered. 

Daemonar looked at her, surprised. Was she actually accepting his deal? "Pardon?" He asked, leaning closer. 

"I said 'okay'," she snapped, glaring at him. Tori poked a finger into his chest. "But you'd better do whatever I say. And answer whatever questions I have." 

"As long as it pertains to Uncle Saetan and Lady Lyra's relationship," he countered, not liking the idea of her having the freedom to make him answer _any_ question she had. Which she did. But Tori didn't need to know that. 

"Oh, alright," she sighed, plan thwarted. 

"Shall we go, then?" Daemonar asked eagerly. He flashed her a wolfish smile. "I'm looking forward to my reward." 

Tori turned crimson again, and ducked her head to hide it as they continued to seek out Saetan. Mother Night….How was she going to get out of this one? 

They found Saetan hiding in his son Daemon's study, pouring over paperwork without seeing a word of it. 

"Sit down, Saetan," Tori ordered, waltzing in and sending the man a firm glare. "With any luck, this won't take too awfully long." 

Saetan seemed surprised by her brusque tone, something he hadn't heard in a while. "Lady Tori," he greeted her cautiously, falling back on Protocol. "To what do I owe this…visit?" 

Tori glared at him from across the dark cherry wood desk, Daemonar leaning comfortably against the wall behind her. 

"You know," she began calmly, the glare smoothing out into a pleasant smile. "I normally don't bother myself with other people's relationships because, to be blunt, they are not my problems." 

"Okay." Saetan nodded, following her. 

"And yet…" Tori sighed. "I find myself getting involved in this spectacular mess you've landed yourself in with my mother." 

Saetan started to grow defensive, so Tori raised a hand to stall his argument. 

"I thought for a long time about how to translate just how big of a mistake you made into male," she continued. "And if, after I finish, you're still not getting it, I'll take it as proof that you never held Mother in that close of regard. If that's the case, I'll assume you were merely playing with her and beat you for a week." 

Saetan sat there, stunned at how easily Tori had threatened him. Daemonar coughed, trying not to laugh. Tori sent him a warning look. 

"Daemonar's agreed to help," she added, making herself comfortable on the invisible bench in front of the desk, her legs swinging back and forth. 

"As you wish," Saetan replied, at a loss. 

"Excellent!" Tori smiled at him and looked over her shoulder at Daemonar until he came forward to take the single chair beside her. "Now, Saetan, how well would you say you knew Eyrien mannerisms?" 

Saetan watched her warily as he answered. "Fairly well," he allowed. 

"Would you say you knew what not to say to them to make them mad?" Tori pushed. 

Saetan nodded slowly. "Yes, I would say that." 

"Like what?" Tori asked, leaning forward in interest. 

"Tori!" Daemonar objected. 

Tori grinned at him. "Ah, ah! It's for Saetan and Mother." 

Daemonar glared at her, but fell silent. 

"I don't think that's for ladies to hear," Saetan hedged. 

Tori gave him an exasperated look. "Do you want to make up with Mother or not?" 

"I do," he replied carefully. 

"Then let's hear it." 

"Something guaranteed to make an Eyrien mad?" Saetan mulled over it for a moment. "Something pithy and blunt about his wings or balls. Saying something about not being able to get it up with a woman. Ridicule his…ah…anatomy….Why is this of any importance?" He demanded. 

Tori sighed. "Well…I suppose I'll just have to work with that." She gave the two men disbelieving looks. "I can't believe men put that much stock in…their stock." 

Daemonar flushed and bristled at the same time. Quite an interesting sight, really. "Get on with it already," he grumbled. 

"Oh, alright." Tori turned to Daemonar. "So, if Saetan said…something like that to you, in all seriousness, what would you do?" 

"Hit him," Daemonar replied instantly. 

"Well, yes. Obviously." Tori sighed, feeling a headache coming on. _Males._ She rolled her eyes. "But, aside from physical violence, what would you do?" 

Daemonar stared at her blankly. "_Besides_ violence?" His eyes lit with comprehension. "You mean attacking him with Craft?" 

_Daemonar's a thug,_ Tori realized with horror, stifling a groan. "No," she said firmly. "Wouldn't you yell at him? Argue? Express your anger through words?" 

"Why do that when fists work better?" Daemonar demanded, genuinely confused. 

Tori groaned out loud this time, feeling the headache getting worse. Mother Night, what had she gotten herself into? 

  


  
*******

  


Two hours, several highly imaginative displays, and one awful migraine later, Tori was beginning to be hopeful. 

"Okay," she said with exaggerated patience. "So, if fists were words, we've determined that Daemonar would most definitely be yelling at you, right, Saetan?" 

Saetan nodded, not looking much better than her. "Yes." 

"Kind of like my mother was yelling, right?" Tori asked, finally, _finally_, being able to tie in her mother to this disaster. 

Saetan looked floored. "You mean…Lyra took it that seriously?" He asked. 

"Yes!" Tori cheered. "Finally, we're getting somewhere. Weight is to women as a good impotency insult is to an Eyriens." 

Saetan nodded carefully. "I believe I understand now." He frowned. "A little." 

"An Eyrien would never turn around another male's logic on him," Daemonar objected. 

Tori regarded him innocently. "It's not our fault if you back yourselves into a corner and provide us ammunition." 

Daemonar glared at her. "How do we—" 

"We're getting off topic," Tori said hastily. "The point is, you understand that Mother has every right to be offended, and that by agreeing with her only added insult to injury." 

Saetan nodded. "But how do I _fix_ it?" 

"By telling her that you understand you did the wrong thing and are sorry," Tori said. She took in his shock. "You _did_ say you were sorry, right?" She stressed, worried she'd spent all this time when a simple apology would have done it. 

"Naturally," Saetan replied. "However, your mother was rather furious with me and refused to accept my apologies. She said I didn't mean it." 

"Well, this should convince her," Tori muttered. "Spending two plus hours trying to wrap your mind around the opposite gender's psyche is not something one does for sport." 

"I agree," Saetan said fervently. 

Daemonar merely grunted, collapsed in the leather chair with one hand pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are we done yet?" He moaned. 

"Yep!" Tori announced, hopping off her Crafted ledge. "The rest is up to you to figure out, Saetan." She paused on her way out the door and glanced back hesitantly. "Good luck." 

Saetan smiled at her gently. "Thank you, Tori." _For everything,_ his expression said. 

Tori smiled slightly, nodded, and left, Daemonar close behind her. She sighed, collapsing against the wall as she closed her eyes. 

"Mother Night, my head hurts," she groaned. "If Mother doesn't take him back, I'll never forgive her." 

"I need a drink," Daemonar mumbled. 

"I need to go find Talia," Tori thought out loud, starting off for the stables. 

Daemonar abruptly lost his pained expression and darted in front of her, spreading his wings to block her escape. "After that, I think I'm more than entitled to my reward, Tori," he purred, smirking at her briefly panicked expression. 

  
*************************************************

  


Chapter 15 is already half done. Aren't you so proud of me?! :) I'm starting to get back into the mood of this fic, so maybe there will be more updates. ^.~ Maybe. 

Hope you keep coming back. 


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